The Valorous Crusade
by Narukami96
Summary: "War, war never changes" that's how the saying goes only this time it did, the arrival of a new collective of Xenos species sees to shake the balance of the galaxy once more. Nathaniel, Chapter Master of the Angels of Aggression chapter of Space Marines, is now face to face with a new empire and must battle them and the other foes of mankind in the Valorous sector to regain control
1. Chapter 1

_**The Valorous Crusade**_

_In the grim darkness of the 41__st__ Millennium, there is nought but war._

_Prologue _

The galaxy is at war, there is nowhere during this time where peace is seen. Mankind is on the brink of collapse constantly, only through the actions of its many forces does it hold on. The Astra Milltarum or Imperial Guard, millions of men and woman conscripted to fight and die if need be for the Imperium of Man. The Adeptus Mechanicus, the Machine cult, beings who've shed their mortal skin in favor of the cold way of steel and wire and maintain both a fighting force on their massive forge worlds and act as the engineering branch for mankind. The Adepta Sororitas, the Sisters of Battle, woman sworn to fight in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind and its church. The Inquisition, the secret origination that protect mankind, at what ever the cost. But the greatest of these are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, these men are the embodiment of the Emperor's might, blessed with bodies and minds capable of more than any normal human could endure, gifted with a special gene-seed, a piece of a Primarch, a son of the Emperor and they know no fear.

Against them are the various alien species found in the galaxy, the savage Orks, whose massive bodies, ability to naturally adapt to any environment and unique reproductive cycle make them a wide spread threat.

The Aldaeri or Eldar, a once proud and very psychical powerful people who are now dying as a result of their actions, once the dominate species in the galaxy, their fall came about suddenly and without mercy via She Who Thirsts due to their constant indulgences into the most hedonistic acts. Since then the race has been split into various factions, the Craftworlds wish to save their race by postponing their enviable demise at the hands of the god their race spawned via strict pathways to walk throughout their very long lives, the Drukhari or Dark Eldar continue with their hedonistic ways of old and hid out in their hidden city of Commorragh striking out the galaxy through raiding and pirating. The Harlequins are a group dedicated to the Laughing God, Cegorach and put on performance of the fall of the Eldar race but also are a fighting force themselves. The corsair fleets act like the Drukhari but to a lesser extant and the Exodites are Eldar that have chosen to live a much more rural live than the rest of their species.

The Necrons, once a live species these beings became living machines long ago to defeat an enemy, at the order of their gods, the C'Tan whom their rebelled against and shattered into fragments, Entombing them in their monoliths as well as themselves for eons. They are now awakening more and more now and wish for nothing but that all life was extinguished.

The Tyranids are a hive mind species that consume whole worlds of their bio-mass, leaving the planet bare and lifeless. The arrive in numerous hordes of bio-forms and collect and destroy anything that gets in their way. They also have a form of scouting force in the form of Genestealer Cults, Tyranids that over time gain the appearance of humans thus making it easy for them to overthrow planets of their government.

Lastly are the T'au and their fledgling empire, the T'au are a species broken up into casts, each one providing towards the 'Greater Good' which is the Tau philosophy that each being has a role to play in the collective to make the whole better. The fire caste are the warriors and soldiers and use advanced mech battle-suits to engage in battle. The water caste the politicians and are the one that bring other species into the Greater Good such as the Kroot and Vespids. The earth caste are the engineers of the Empire, they are the one that build and maintain the battle-suits of the fire caste as well as the other technologies of the Empire, the air caste of the pilots of the empire and are the ones that aid the fire caste ground forces via fighter wings and bombers attacks. The last caste are the Ethereals, they are the ruling caste and as such are the one that dictate all the orders to everyone else.

But it is not with these alien species that mankind has its greatest enemies but rather from within in the form of Chaos, the malicious, diabolic daemons from the Warp, the immaterial realm parallel to our own. It is in this realm that beings are able to use psychic powers and where our emotions rule not logic. Here the gods of Chaos twist the minds and bodies of mortal to serve their whims. Khorne the Blood God demands nothing more than blood to spill, Nurgle the Plague Father wishes to spread his blights and death across the galaxy, Tzeentch the Great Changer wants discord and total chaos for everything via plots and schemes and Slaanesh or She Who Thirst, the Lord of excess what the galaxy to quiver in pleasure and pain. 10,000 years ago the greatest of the Emperor's sons, Horus Lupacal of the Lunar Wolves and eight of his brothers with their legions joined Chaos and rebelled against their father and started the Horus Heresy, a seven year long ,and greatest, civil war the galaxy had ever seen which ended with the deaths of the Loyal Primarch Sanguinus of the Blood Angels and Horus himself upon his flagship, _The Vengeful Spirt_, and the ultimate entombment of the Emperor of Mankind upon the golden throne of Terra, since then he has staid there, guiding mankind through psychic messages.

But now there is a new player coming into the game, a collection of species like the Tau but are not governed by a philosophical idea but by a religion that speaks of a Great Journey and their name is …. The Covenant.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

_**To Battle, We Join.**_

Valorous Sector, Planet Valorous. Year 999 M41.

The day was quiet on Valorous Prime, the temperature was finally breaking out of the winter season and in towards spring. Here was peace, thought Sister Abagail of the Order of Fiery Cloak of the Sisters of Battle and she hated it.

"It bores me here; I am an instrument of purification and faith. I should be bringing the light of the Emperor to the galaxy with flame and bolter, not standing around guarding a useless old preacher who can't even get up the strength to perform sermons half the time." Abagail cursed outwardly thought quickly. Her sisters were approaching her, bolters in hands. Sister Megara and Sister Ariel looked as thought they had words to say and the weren't kind one either.

"Sister Megara, Sister Ariel what news do you bring to me on this blessed day." Abagail trying to mask her earlier actions.

"We have received orders from the Canoness that the local orks are going to try and make a push towards the chapel. " Megara said, the scar on her left cheek twitched as she mentioned the orks as they where the ones to give it to begin with. Orks had always been a problem in the sector as with most sectors, but a manageable one with proper purging actions.

"And we are going to give them the Emperor's wrath with holy bolt and fire, Sister?" Abagail was practically giddily at the thought of finally being able to give fury to her faith once again.

"In a way, yes." Ariel said as she towards Megara as she did the same.

"What do you mean ' in a way?"

"While the majority of our order fights the Greenskins, our squad is to link up with PDF troops headed our way and reinforce the Deacons headquarters in case the forces at the front break and the orks get through."

Abagail slumped as she heard that once again, she would be forced to guard the old Deacon while her sisters gave the Justice of the Emperor to his enemies. She gripped her bolter and returned to her post upon the wall. PDF or Planetarily Defence Force were a planets local militia-like forces that acted as the first and sometimes only bulwark against xenos and chaos invaders.

"This is unfair, we are the Daughters of the Emperor, it should be us going out to the front lines not some troops that wouldn't know the barrel of a bolter from its backplate." Abagail complained to her sisters, they agreed with her that this was unfair to the Sisters, but the planetary governor had wanted the Sisters as a last line of defence seeing as they were a more elite fighting force and to have them be lost completely to an Ork attack would leave the PDF troops demoralized and weakened to a greater attack at some other time. "PDF troopers are cheep but a Daughter of the Emperor, now there's an asset worth keeping in reserve." The Canoness would say to them from time to time.

"When are the PDF troops to arrive at?"

"Within the hour, Sister Abagail." Sister Megara said as she and Sister Ariel left Abagail to her post. Abagail looked onwards, she had been with the sisterhood her whole life yet for all her bravado she had never seen true combat, the closest thing she had acquired to get to combat was her training and the occasional riot in the complex amongst the followers of the deacon.

"I shouldn't let this get to me, I have a job to do, and by His grace, I will see it done."

XXX

In the Warp, Battle Barge _Fury of The Lion. _Flagship of the Angels of Aggression chapter of the Adeptus Astartes.

Year 999. M41

Chapter Master Nathaniel seemed to be in good spirts, as much as a Space Marine could be. He and his chapter, the Angels of Aggression, had just crushed an invasion from a Tyranid splinter fleet of Hive Fleet Gorgon upon the Forge World of Artifact along side the Sktiari forces of the Adeptus Mechanicus and the forces of the Scarlet Seraphs chapter of the Adeptus Astartes. Losses were light for a Tyranid attack, less than 100 battle brother had given their lives in the defence of the forge world. But among them was the chapter's reclusiarch, Raquiel and he need a replacement. Master of the First company the Lionwing, Mikaiel, Master of the Second Company the Shadewing, Malthiel, Chief Librarian Ramiel, Head Techmarine Haniel and Chief Apothecary Samshiel were about to join him to take council to discuss who was to take Raquiel's place and, more over, who was to join the ranks in the chaplaincy. Nathaniel was about to go over the list of Sergeants and senior NCO's that looked like a fit into the role of being a Space Marine Chaplain. Unlike most chapters where promotions were gifted out by requests by superiors and named heirs, the Angels of Aggression had a council to decide such thing this left out personal bias towards certain individuals by said individual's superiors.

They where headed towards planets nearby to replenish the chapters numbers, particularly in the 10th company, the scouts. Most of the scouts now found themselves among the assault and heavy weapon companies as full fledged battle-brothers of the Adeptus Astartes. Without scouts, the chapter would be without a recon and skirmish force to use in advance of an attack leaving them exposed to surprise attacks during the middle of an assault thus the new scouts would be had found on Valorous, one of many planets the chapter used for recruiting as the Angels of Aggression were crusading chapter meaning they had no home world to call their own thus not having a constant place to call upon for recruit nor have a fortress-monastery to secure themselves in, then again nether did their parent chapter, the Dark Angels.

Most chapters of the Adeptus Astartes were founded from one of the nine legions that stayed loyal to the Emperor during the Horus Heresy. The Ultramarines, Imperial Fists, White Scars, Raven Guard, Space Wolves, Salamanders, Blood Angels, Iron Hands, and Dark Angels were these legions and were now called first founding chapters. After the Primarch of the 13th legion, the Ultramarines, Roboute Guilliman, pend the Codex Astartes, a guideline for all space marines to follow which forced the legions to separate into chapters of only 1000 marines each. With Ferrus Manus Primarch of the 10th legion the Iron Hands and Sanguinus, Primarch of the 9th legion the Blood Angels both dead. The remaining primarchs were split down the middle as to either accept the codex or refuse it except for one. Lion El'Jonson, Primarch of the 1st legion the Dark Angels.

The Lion, as he was called and his legion were on his home planet of Caliban when chaos forces destroyed it, along with the Primarch being presumed lost with it. But it wasn't the forces of the Traitor legions that destroyed Caliban but rebels from within the legion itself, now called the Fallen. With the Primarch gone and no home planet, the remaining leaders of the 1st begrudgingly agreed to the codex but behind closed doors the 1st legion is still strong with the chapter master of the Dark Angels and their successor chapters, collectively called the Unforgiven being in overall command of all the sons of the Lion except for the Angels of Aggression. Being a 5th founding chapter, the Angels of Aggression were nothing different than what most would have seen in a chapter descended of Lion El'Jonson but when the then chapter master of the Dark Angels informed them of their tragic history, the Angels didn't care. In their eyes, they were Space Marines, sons of the Lion and loyalty towards the imperium, the Emperor and mankind itself was more important than hunting down traitor Dark Angels to make sure the Inquisition and Ministerium didn't found out about it. The Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels at the time was furious when he hear such impudence from a successor chapter of the unforgiven but gave them a better mission, one that would work towards the benefit of all, the Angels of Aggression would be the example to the Inquisition to show that the Dark Angels and their successors were completely loyal and had no secrets to hid from them. Thus the Angels of Aggression would, in essence, play the face so it were of the Unforgiven chapters, but they would still be known about the Fallen and the true fate of Caliban.

At least the Dark Angels had the Rock, the largest piece of Caliban leftover from its destruction. It was the largest fortress any crusading chapter had, even the Imperial Fists' Phalanx couldn't approach the sheer size of it. The Angels of Aggression were forced to become a crusading chapter because of this as per the arrangement with its parent chapter so long ago but this also meant it was constantly on the attack of the defence of humanity which is what they wanted to begin with.

Nathaniel, upon entering the council chamber, could see that Samshiel and Ramiel were already there they too were going over their lists of potential replacements.

"Ah, if it isn't the chapter master, nice of you to finally join us Nathaniel. Now we just have to wait for Haniel to be dragged from his forge by Malthiel and Mikaiel." Ramiel spoke with a joke in his voice. He had always been a bit of a joker, even after three centuries of service for chapter, Primarch and Emperor.

Samshiel, on the other hand, was a Space Marine to his core, a no-nonsense type of person. As an Apothecary, Samshiel had the job of keeping and maintaining the chapter's gene-seed stores the loss of which would spell doom for the chapter.

"I was looking for this." Nathaniel said as he put down a bottle of spirts. Nether the Apothecary nor the Librarian made no indication as to their surprise of this. As soon he did the other members of the chapter council arrive in. Mikaiel, Malthiel, and Haniel took their respective seats with Mikaiel and Malthiel taking the ones next to Nathaniel respectively.

"Why are so late Mikaiel, normally you are the first to arrive here?" Nathaniel asked, knowing that Mikaiel was never one miss a deadline especially for something of this nature. He assumed that Haniel had something do to with it, as important as the job of being the chapter head Techmarine and as such its chief mechanic it did mean that he was often too caught up in his work to tend to his duties as a council member. With everyone assembled, Nathaniel addressed the room as only a chapter master of the Adeptus Astartes could.

"Brothers, we all know why we are here our Brother Raquiel was slain in our most recent engagement with the enemies of man, as such we require a new reclusiarch and more over a new chaplain. But first…" Nathaniel uncorked the bottle and pored a shot into a glass, one for each of them. "We remember the life of a brother fallen." With him, the rest of the council grabbed a glass and held up high.

"To Raquiel, may his actions ennoble us all." With that, the council members took the shot down and left the glass upside down.

"He served the Emperor to his last, may we all be so lucky." Malthiel said as he choked back the foul tasting liquid from his throat. He had never liked the chapter's ritual of downing alcohol to more battle brothers lost.

"Now with that over with, let us get to the meat of the meeting." Mikaiel told the others as he moved his Terminator armour around as to have room to move about.

Over next few hours, the six marines went over the remaining chaplains to determine who was best suited to lead the chapter in maters of faith and spiritual guidance. It was eventually declared that Chaplain Lucifer of the 6th company would be named the new Reclusiarch, as to whom would be Lucifer's replacement as a chaplain, this took much long that expected as both Mikaiel and Malthiel had wanted their candidate to take the position. The Chapter master thought that this would go on for some time more, time that they didn't have to waste, so he put his own candidate in. Veteran Sergeant Solomon of the 8th company would be chosen for this job. The rest of the council looked surprised by this, it was not often that the chapter master himself personally recommended anyone to a position so strongly and like the old Terran object know as dominos, the rest of the council soon fell in line with him.

XXX

In his quarters, Chaplain Lucifer was going over his weapons. His crozius arcanum, the symbol of his office as a chaplain rested by his side as he went over his combi-flamer. A tricky thing, combi weapons had a boltgun attached to another ranged weapon in his case a flamer. Removing the gunk leftover by the promethium stream was tiresome but needed. "A clean flamer is a heathy flamer." That's what his squad mate from the Sons of the Anvil chapter said every time he would clean out his heavy flamer during his time with the Deathwatch. Lucifer was almost done with his cleaning when there was a knocking on his door.

"Enter in." the chaplain said as the chapter master himself as well as the chief librarian came through. To say the chaplain was surprised by this would be an understatement.

"Chapter Master Nathaniel, Chief Librarian Ramiel. What brings you here to my sanctum? It can't be for spiritual purposes you can have the reclusiarch do that for you." Lucifer said as he finished cleaning off his combi-flamer.

"Actually it does, Brother-Chaplain." Nathaniel said, his hand gripping onto the Astartes shoulder. "Reclusiarch Raquiel died in the last campaign, and as such we have named you as his replacement. We know you looked up to him highly and I'd had hoped not to tell you like this." The tone in the battle brother's voice was soft and kind, not something associated with a Space Marine and to be shocked twice in one day truly stunned the marine.

"I understand and who is to replace me as a company chaplain." Was all Lucifer could say at the time.

"Brother Veteran-Sergeant Solomon of the 8th company, you need not fret, I personally vouched for him and feel he is up to the challenge. The spirts of the chapter are safe under your hands Lucifer. Do not let me, the chapter, the Primarch and The Emperor down.

"I won't sir, I won't."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

**A Faith Forged **

_Elsewhere in another universe, an alien empire wages war on an inferior human opponent. This empire is much like the T'au in that it is an alliance of various species but are joined through religion not philosophy. They are the Covenant led by the San'Shyuum or Prophets they have cut a bloody swath across the galaxy to further their "Great Journey" and will crush anyone who gets in their way. _

XXX

Capital of the Covenant Empire, High Charity

9th Age of Reclamation (Year 2552, Human Standard Time)

The cramp compartment of a Phantom did little on the mind of the Arbiter. He had fulfilled his mission in killing the heretic leader and silencing his heresy and yet it troubled him that an oracle of all things could be in his position and still he insisted that the Great Journey was a lie. Not only that but he even said that it was the oracle itself that had him conclude to the path of such heresy. Even if he was right it did him little good, he was dead, and the oracle was now with Tartarus headed right now towards the Hierarchs.

"You seem tense, Arbiter. Why is that?" Arbiter looked over to see Rtas 'Vadamee above him, his distinct missing jawline gave away. He was harsh on him last they spoke, and he deserved it his branding on his chest stained his body forbidding him from entering the Great Journey, thus his is the Arbiter, the Fist of the Prophets a position of shame and disgrace.

"It is nothing, come we are here." He was not looking forwards to this as it would be his first public appurtenance as the Arbiter and not as Thel 'Vadamee, Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice before he could walk these halls with pride, now he dose so only in shame. As the doors towards the hanger bay, the being once known as Thel 'Vadumee could feel the daggers of other's eyes pierce into him, he knew they whispered words of insult and mockery he just wanted to get up to the Hierarchs to receive his next mission and the next after that until he died such was the fate of all Arbiters what he got was not such.

"Fellow followers of the Path, It pains me to report that my fellow Hierarch, Bold Regret, has been slain by the humans while he was setting forth to begin the Great Journey." The Prophet of Truth told the denizens of High Charity. Thel was shocked by this, A Hierarch, slain by human hands had he only been there he could have prevented it thought it was not Regrets' death that disturbed him the most, it was Truth's speech. His words spoke with grief, but his tone said none, it was no secret that Regret had always been at odds with Truth and Mercy but at least he did try and look remorseful about this.

"Let us take this moment to reflect upon his life and know that his actions has led us towards another Halo ring and that the Great Journey is soon upon us all. Rejoice for salvation is nigh and the humans will be left to die like the heretics that they are." All around people shouted in glee of anticipation of the final push towards godhood, their vigor made the halls echo with zealous cries and joyful weeping while the Arbiter just kept moving.

XXX

Atop the grand spire of the Hierarchs, Arbiter moved in to see Jiralhanae or more commonly, Brutes taking the armour of the Honor Guard, those Sangheili who have reached a place of respect and are the guardians of the Prophets. And here they stand now being stripped of the honor by Brutes. As he walked, the Brutes displayed just why they where unworthy of safeguarding the Prophets and why they were called Brutes: he saw Brutes ripping off armour and using it was a blunt weapon to beat off a fellow brute trying to go for the same gear as him, snarling and dishonorable conduct and many more as he walked in to see Rtas arguing with the Hierarchs.

"This is unprecedented, unacceptable." Rtas said to the two Prophets his tone conveyed the attitude that every Elite in the room felt: Anger, betrayal and resentment.

" A Hierarch is dead, Commander." The Prophet of Truth told to him

"His murderer was within our grasp, if you had not withdrawn our Phantoms, we could have…" was all Rtas could get out of this split faced jaws before Truth cut him off.

" Are you questioning my decision?"

"No, Holy One I only wish to express my concern that the Brutes…" again Rtas was cut off by Truth.

"Recommissioning the Guard was a radical step, but recent events have made it abundantly clear that the Elites can no long guarantee our safety." Rtas looked on in frustration at this decision.

" I will relay your decision to the council." With that Rtas and his bodyguards left the room, giving an eyeing glance towards the Arbiter. As he walked up to the Hierarchs, he could see the stress of politics had caught up to the noble Prophet of Truth.

"Politics, how tiresome. Do you know, Arbiter that the Elites have threated to resign, to quit the high council because of this 'exchange of hands'?"

"We have always been your protectors, holy one." The Arbiter told to the Prophet, here he stands before the being who gave him new purpose and he was arguing with him.

"These are trying times, for all of us." It was here that the wisely old Prophet of Mercy decided to chime in his throughs.

"Even as the humans are annihilated in front of us and fill us with satisfaction the loss of one of the sacred rings wracked our hearts with grief." Truth moved his hand towards Mercy, for he was always the most zealous of the three.

"Putting aside our sorrow, we renewed our faith in the prophecy that there would be other rings to be found and during his last hours, the Prophet of Regret had told us that he had found another ring and was embarking towards it. He failed to transmit the location to us before his death but, even from the grave, Regret still aided the path forwards as the Elite Minor that reported his death also gave his location."

"Not soon after we sent a message toward the home planets of all the peoples of the Covenant, that ships would be arriving soon to pick them up. We are to meet here to all join up at this new Halo ring" Mercy said, his words extreme to say the least.

"Is that wise, holy one? Surly with the humans still there, it would pose a threat to the safety of the pilgrims as well as yourselves." Arbiter could not believe what he was hearing, first the Elites are replaced with the Brutes and the honor guard and now the Hierarchs are dispatching war ships away from campaigns to ferry pilgrims across the stars to meet here and all journey together towards this new Halo ring.

"You are beginning to sound like Commander Rtas, Arbiter but worry not, remember this shall be the entire Covenant fleet, over a thousand ships, all carrying those who are willing to die for the Great Journey, the humans would be wise to flee before the end." Mercy was one thing, but Truth was another story altogether he was always seen as the voice of reason among the three but perhaps Regrets' death had shaken his person in a way to force this action, either way. It didn't look good.

XXX

It was a full three days before every last ship in the Covenant fleet had arrived, and another three more days due to the ships not having enough room so Phantoms from home fleet and to be docked in full and shuffled in and out until every last one of them and been made full. By this time the humans had mopped up what ever was left of Regrets' forces on the Halo ring and yet, nether Mercy nor Truth and sent any ships towards the Halo to scout en force to have the humans leave and odd move but most translated this to that the wouldn't need to when the whole of the fleet arrives and to Regret's death and how Truth and Mercy didn't want to rush in as he had done as to share in his fate.

As the last cruiser came into the fleet, the intercoms of every ship in the fleet ringed with the voice of The Prophet of Mercy.

"My fellow followers of the path, this is our moment of triumph, we are but hours away from beginning the Great Journey and achieving our goal of Ascension and Godhood, it is unfortunate that my fellow Hierarch, The Prophet of Regret could not live long enough to see this day, but through his actions we shall destroy the humans and reach salvation. For ages we had searched for a being who could activate the rings, an oracle, and, due to the actions of the Arbiter we have at last found one." For those who could see it, the Prophet moved aside to reveal the oracle that Arbiter had recovered from the destroyed Halo ring.

"With appropriate humility we pried the oracle with questions and it, with clarity and grace, has shone us the key." Everyone around gasped or awed at the vision of the key. Mercy gave way for Truth to speak.

"It shall be the Arbiter that leads the mission to find this key, while we wait for his return and with this key, we shale fulfill our promise." Arbiter then moved forwards towards the dais to show reveal himself to the whole of the Covenant.

"Salvation for all."

"And begin the Great Journey." The echoing of the crowds was nauseating for one such as him, maybe because it remained him of when he was shamed in front of this same people. Now the praise his presents and cheer his name, though they do not know it is he or rather was that very same Elite. The Prophet of Truth then turned to him and waved him over.

"Go Arbiter, gather your troops and make ready for your final mission. We shall soon be leaving."

XXX

Surface of Planet Valorous Prime

Year 999. M41

Abagail could not wait to get this over with, though she did suppose it was better than sitting around and performing drills all day and it did feel better with Canoness Varmine standing before them. An imposing person, the canoness was an aged woman but that did take away from her imposing presents upon the field of battle nor did it hinder her command of the sisterhood. The Order of the Fiery Cloak was a younger order compared to others such as the Order of Our Martyred Lady or the Order of the Ebon Chalice but were still given the respect of any Sisters of Battle order would receive. Being derived from the Order of the Bloody Rose, their fervor towards the enemies of the God-Emperor of Mankind was absolute, however it did seem like overkill to have them here when the Angels of Aggression chapter of the Adeptus Astartes had a chapter keep here on the planet. Abagail looked on as her sisters went off to glorious battle while she and the rest of her squad stayed behind with the deacon and PDF troops.

"Emperor guide your victory, sisters. We shall show these xenos scum what the fury of the Emperor looks like." Canoness Varmine preached towards the armoured column she then looked down towards the ten sisters left behind here. "As for you, Sister Superior. You and your squad shall be meeting with a man named Major Kuiler and you will provide escort for his relief supplies column, their-after you shall guard over the deacon's headquarters until further notice." The Canoness was as stern as she ever was, one did not become a Sister of Battle by being weak-willed, let alone a canoness. A few minutes passed before an Imperial Guard issued Chimera personal transport was seen crossing the hills and with it, others soon followed.

"They're sure in a rush, probably wanting to go back to their base and wait out the attack, the cowards." Sister Greta said, her heavy flamer clutched in her hands, ready to burn away anything she viewed as heresy.

"Well if they're in such a rush, it will only make this mission go by faster." Megara said.

"Quiet, the both of you or you'll see nothing but the repenta cells for a month." Sister Superior Sabrina said, her power sword glowed even when not in use as she spoke. The Chimera came to a halt just in front of the chapel and a man wearing the uniform of an Imperial Guardsman officer came out thought he looked distressed.

"Greetings Guardsman, I am Sister Superior Sabrina Ventus of the Order of the Fiery Cloak, my sisters and I and to escort to wherever you are heading for your supply drop." The words, as if made out of paper towards a hurricane, blew right over the man. The sister superior did not take to being ignored by. "Guardsman, I demined to speak to your major right now." Again the guardsman did nothing but pace back and forth as if he had something else on his mind. Finally, Sister Ariel came up to the guardsman and shoved her meltagun right into his face.

"Unless you want to end up looking a lot worse than when you arrived, I suggest you start providing some answers." It was then that a hand came out of the second Chimera waving about. Out of the turret came another Guardsman Officer only this one looked much more refined than the person they had all been talking towards until now.

"And who, by the God-Emperor, are you?" Abagail said, she moved forward as to get a better look at the man. He was older than the other and gave off a vibe of wisdom that the other man lacked.

"I apologise for my subordinate's actions but I'm afraid we have come with terrible news in our minds, news we have to share with you now." His words did little to help the situation, but it at least changed the subject matter to something less likely to end up in a friendly firefight.

"Well then, spit it out then man. What's the news?" Sabrina asked judging by her mood it had better be something horrible.

"The Despoiler strikes again, his 13th Black Crusade races towards Cadia and he means to take it. They say it is the largest force of the Great Enemy since the days of The Horus Heresy. All forces available are heading to the Cadian Gate now." Every sister in the squad had their hearts both sink and burn. Abaddon the Despoiler may his name be cursed forever more, heir to the arch traitor, Horus Lupacal, he was the Warmaster of Chaos and Lord of the Black Legion. His so called 'Black Crusades' had always been a problem, causing millions to die and whole planets to be lost yet every time the Imperium of Man has pushed him back but still it was never an easy thing when he rolled his disgusting being from the Eye of Terror.

"This is grim news, but we mustn't lose fate in the Emperor, he shall protect us from the Despoiler's wrath. Come we have our own mission to think about, Major." The mans face looked off, as if he was shocked or something.

"My apologies again sister but how did you know I was the major?" he asked, twirling his mustache around.

"You just had this air of seniority around you now come along, me and my sisters will leave all in the dust if you don't keep up." The major quickly agreed thought not verbally to this and jumped back into his Chimera.

"Come on now Winston, you hear the lass, no time to worry about Cadia when we've got our own problems to deal with here." The officer from before finally broke out of his stupor and acknowledged the major's words and climbed back into the lead Chimera.

XXX

In the Warp, onboard the battle barge _Fury of the Lion._

Year 999. M41

As Reclusiarch, Lucifer's first duty now was to induct the new appointee to the Chaplaincy, Veteran Sergeant Solomon as a chaplain of the chapter, he would be assigned to the 9th company as all new chaplains did this would have him get used to the hard and gruelling work of being a Spiritual leader of Astartes as well as having the luxury of not being forced to break down new recruits as other chaplains did. As he entered the room, he reflected back on the time when he was recruited into the Chaplaincy by Raquiel and now his role in this had changed. Sergeant Solomon waiting for him by the looks of things and even had his armour cleaned for his presentation.

"You look like you're going out onto your first mission, Sergeant. Tell me why?" Lucifer asked. He hadn't informed the sergeant about his new position, yet he had gotten his armour all cleaned.

"Spare me the small talk Chaplain, I can only guess as to why you are here so let us be done with it and move on." The sergeant's tone did not do him any favors, he was beginning to doubt Nathaniel's choice in new appointee of the role of Chaplain, but he never let him nor the chapter astray yet, so he gave way to his superior wisdom and let the sergeant along towards the holy chambers of the chapter. In that room, faith and shadows was all, and the presences of the Emperor of Mankind was ever strong.

"Why are we here? If this is to see if I am a heretic, I can tell you right now that my faith in the God-Emperor is unwavering and my loyalty towards the chapter is unflinching." The sergeant spoke as if the eyes of the Inquisition were on him.

"Relax Solomon, we know you are no heretic, in fact quite the opposite, your faith to the Emperor, fury on the battlefield, and leadership of your brothers has earned you a position in the Chaplaincy." The look of relief upon the sergeant's face was greater than anything he could have imagined.

"I-I am not worthy of such an honor, Chaplain Lucifer and besides, only the reclusiarch can make a chaplain you have no such power."

"Actually he does, seeing as he is the Reclusiarch now, making his appointment of you to the chaplaincy fully recognised." A familiar voice echoed out. "As does my own recommendation for you towards that role, Sergeant." Both the sergeant and chaplain turned to see the chapter master standing right outside of either of their sight.

"Do not look so surprised to see me, Solomon. As chapter master, I oversee most of ceremonies conducted in the chapter that involve new officers being appointed." He turned back towards Lucifer. "Now Lucifer, it is time for his anointment."

"Right, now then sergeant, kneel before me and the visage of the Emperor." The sergeant did so, Lucifer then came up to him, crozius arcanum in hand and tapped him on the left shoulder once.

"In the name of the chapter, I charge you with the protection of our brother's souls." He moved over to the right shoulder and did it again. "In the name of the Primarch, I trust in your fury to carry the battle towards victory." He moved over to his left again and tapped it once more. "In the name of the Emperor, I name you chaplain of the Angels of Aggression chapter." Lucifer stepped back and spoke once again. "Now rise, Chaplain Solomon of the 9th company." The now chaplain rose and received from Lucifer his own crozius arcanum, his skull faced helmet and his black armour, all badges of the position of a chaplain of the Adeptus Astartes.

"Good now we should be entering the Valorous system soon. You will then be able to meet Captain Guriel once we leave the warp." Nathaniel said as left the room.

"Good thing too, our astropaths, those that are still alive at least, have been having a hell of a time getting or receiving an messages in this, pray to the Emperor that we haven't gotten caught in a warp storm." Solomon commented on; it was clear that he would have to take time to get adjusted to begin a chaplain.

Soon enough, the fleet left the contains of the immaterial plain for the comfort of real space. The astropaths could now get messages through, what the heard was not good, the news of the thirteenth Black Crusade upon Cadia was disheartening but it only further hasten the chapter's resolve to collect the new scouts as soon as possible to hurry back to the fight.

"Brothers, the Despoiler marches onwards for the thirteenth time, now upon Cadia that most important planet. It is our duty as sons of the Lion to make haste to battle the Black Legion and it allies. Make ready your weapons, for as soon as the new recruits are safely aboard the ships, we march to war once again. This time, the Despoiler will fall, and the galaxy will be a safer place for mankind because of it." The Vox message said overhead.

XXX

In Slipspace, onboard the Covenant Carrier _Castellan's Hand_

9th Age of Reclamation (2552 Human Standard Time.)

The Arbiter could feel a weight now grow over his heart, as soon all his brethren would be heading off into the Divine Beyond while he would be left behind it was almost enough to make him walk away and never look back but that would only bring more shame upon him. His should have been on his up and coming mission, the last mission of the covenant. This was too important to make any mistakes so only to most competent and zealous warriors would accompanying him for this mission. 200 in all, each one good enough to be in the honor guard but chose not to instead becoming respected commanders in their own right, thought technique not able to lead them, Rtas as SpecOps Commander would be the official head of this operation it would be him that ultimately be in command.

"Brothers, our time is now, the Great Journey is upon us and we have been selected to retrieve the sacred icon. We go now with the entirety of the Covenant at out backs and the Great Journey ahead, by tomorrow, we shall be gods." Rtas' speech was a good one, short but good. The Arbiter could feel the Slipspace drives of every ship in the fleet charge up and being making route calculations.

"The fleet is ready Arbiter, we need only your word." a minor said to him.

"Then let us not waste anymore time, all ships move out." No sooner did he say that did the reality around the fleet break into holes and the ships, all one thousand of them, surged through towards divinity.

"To think, you were this close to being able to walk with the gods, but you probably already knew that didn't you?" a gruff voice came from behind the Arbiter. It was Tartarus, the chieftain of the Jiralhanae, taunting him with poisoned words.

" I know my actions have led to the position I am now in, but I am now leading the Great Journey to its apex while you scurry around the Heirarchs for favor and power, Tartarus." The Brute did take kindly to those words.

"Watch you mouth, heretic. Soon it shall be the Brutes, not the Elites that rule by the Prophets side and when that day comes, I will personally knock you split faced jaw out of your mouth with my own two hands." When a threat came from a Brute, it meant he was going to do it, but it mattered not. Thel needed only be alive for long enough to start the Great Journey.

Suddenly a shockwave coursed through the ship, it felt as thought the very walls of Slipspace were being ripped apart. the clear blue of Slipspace twisted and turned into a nightmare realm of faces and screams.

" Report, wait is happening out there, Navigator." Rtas bellowed out in the midst of being shaken to the floor from the bombardment of quaking through out the ship.

"I'm not sure, it appears to some sort of anomaly inside Slipspace itself, we cannot do anything about it, and it appears to be affecting the whole of the fleet not just us." The navigator told him as the comms system was overflowing with the screams of shipmasters trying to co-ordinated a plan of action.

"Then brace for impact and tell the crew to prepare an emergency exit of Slipspace, relay this to whole fleet, we'll try and re-enter again when we've figured out the problem." The Arbiter said. As the ship try to exit from the pocket dimension, the whole of reality felt like it was being flipped over, the logical became illogical and vice versa.

"We aren't going to make it." The navigator said as he looked like he was going to have a mental breakdown any second.

"Oh yes we will, we just need a little more effort." Rtas said, and sure enough, they had pulled through to wherever they where.

"I want a full report now." Rtas commanded, it was one thing for a ship to have problems with its slipspace drive but for the entirety of Slipspace to destabilize for a whole fleet, it was unheard of, perhaps it was one final test from the gods to see if the were truly worthy of walking the divine path, but still it was one rather odd and rather dangerous test to pass, even more so to fail.

"All ships are accounted for Shipmaster, no deaths but there are many with injuries, some quite severe."

"Thank the Forerunners for that, not a single ship lost from that mess, such luck wouldn't you say Shipmaster." The Navigator said looking towards his commander and the Arbiter beside him.

"I wouldn't count on that staying true for very long, Major." The Arbiter said as he looked across the starry sky to see what looked like the very whole of reality suffer from a wound of a kind and bleed out ships that bore an eight pointed star upon them.

"We trade one problem for another."

**And that people is how the Covenant comes to the 40k setting: the Cicatrix Maledictum opening up and, due to the nature of the warp being it so it affects other realities as well as its own, and how the concept of Slipspace is in the Haloverse. When the Great Rift opened it coincided with the whole of the Covenant going into Slipspace which when that much warp energy is slipping across the whole of a galaxy and you're in an unstable pocket dimension, need I say more. **

**Anyways this took longer to get due to IRL problems but hopefully I'll be able to continue the crusade from now on. **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

**When Worlds are Shattered**

Rtas' Vadumee had seen his fair share of things in his life: whole planets glassed in the name of the Forerunners, a Halo ring, seeing said Halo ring shattered but never had he seen what was in front of him: Ships poring out of a wound in the fabric of reality and they were racing towards them.

"I want messages sent to those ships right now, warrior." His words were rapid as it was needed to counter the shock of what had just happened to them all he needed to figure out just what had happened to them. The whole of the Covenant fleet had gone into Slipspace at once and all had gone well until something happened in Slipspace that caused them to appear here and he had a hunch that the rift had something to do with it.

"No response, Commander, not even an AI answer." An Unggoy, or Grunt told him with his high-pinched voice. No response via messages wasn't unheard of but not even an Al answer was something else entirely. Even the humans had AI that sad this ships looked like nothing in the Covenant fleet nor anything in the human's navy so it might be a new species in the galaxy one that would be willing to hear the voice of the gods.

"Sir, the ships are moving out to where I know not." His navigator said as Rtas looked towards the scopes. He viewed over it to see where they went and in this, he got his answer.

"There, they are headed towards that planet, it must be their home world or at least a base of operations for them, we should follow them." The navigator began as the ship edged over towards the planet as to get into position to move the fleet as to follow the mystery ships.

Tartarus, now back to the command deck, looked at the situation and scowled. What he was looking at was not what he, and more importantly, what the Hierarchs wanted to see when they ended their Slipspace jump.

"What did you do? This dose not look the holy ring, and the fleet is now scatted through out…" the Brute looked out into the gapping wound in the fabric of space and vast stars out in the world "wherever we are?"

"We are trying to figure that out, but in order to do that we need, to make contact with whatever peoples we can, and find out why our Slipspace drives malfunctioned all at once." That was something that was his, the Arbiter's, and more probably, everyone else's mind is why did every single Slipspace drive in the entire fleet malfunction at the same time and more over lead them towards this area. Did this rift swallow up the holy ring? If so, did the strange ships steal or destroy it? These questions were building up and it was grating on the shipmaster's mind and he wanted some answers and soon.

"Shipmaster, we've made scans about the planet the vessels are heading towards, you might to take a look this." A Unggoy said to him.

"It would be more prudent to just tell me."

"Of course sir, it appears that the planet is covered in an unknown substance, but it bares an uncanny resemblance… to the infestation." The second the words came out of the small one's mouth did the room go silent. The Infection, The Ancient Foe, The Flood it was the ancient foe of the Forerunners, it took the firing of the Halo rings to stop them, the Arbiter had confirmed that they still live somehow and, on the rings, no less.

"This… complicates things. We need to prepare an assault on the planet. If it is a new strain of The Infection, then we must purge it immediately." The Shipmaster went over to the comms station.

"Attention, Attention. All non- combat personal must immediately head towards their quarters and prepare for lockdown protocols. Warriors prepare for combat we are making an assault on the planet." The Arbiter moved to the door, anticipating the orders of the shipmaster.

"They'll need me down there, and you know it." The shipmaster just gave an approving nod towards the Arbiter. Tartarus, snarling again, went after him, not being one to be outdone by the Sangheili.

XXX

Upon the planet side, the inhabitants of the strange vessels plotted and schemed in the fortress of a cruiser. Inside, mutation and madness walked hand in hand, strange symbols carved into everything they can be. This is the work of Chaos, and the people inside were the warriors of the Word Bearer legion, the truest worshipers of Chaos among the forces of Traitor Legions. In its depts, at the chapel, mad ranting to thirsting gods by insane cultists drown out all other noises. The preacher, a man covered in dark scripture, guided the convent in a prayer.

"Let not the whispers bring you fear, brothers and sisters but rather envelope you in the Primordial Truth. Let the constancy of Nurgle's rotting ways give you comfort in what will happen to us all. Let the wisdom of Tzeentch bring forth change for you. The fury of Khorne will guide you weapons to destroy the followers of the False Emperor. Have Slannesh's pleasuring waves give you no end of delight. Death to the False Emperor and Glory to the Ruinous Powers!"

"DEATH TO THE FLASE EMPEROR! GLORY TO THE RUINOUS POWERS!" the cultists echoed back at the dark apostle. As the cultists vacated the chapel, the preacher, with his entourage in tow, moved to gather for the battle plan, after all, they were warriors and Khorne demands bloodshed but Tzeentch teaches us to plan in advance. In the council room, the chaos marine could see four others. Each one of them represented one of the four chaos gods, with himself representing chaos in its undivided form. In the north corner, a blue marine in robes carried a stave with the flaming eye of Tzeentch. In the south corner contain an executioner, flayed skin upon his armour, a calling card of the Dark Prince's worshipers. In the east, a bloated marine decayed and laughed, an exalted champion of Grandfather Nurgle, and in the western most corner held the leader of this warband, skulls around his belt and red about his armour, he was Khorne's warrior, striding forth in his Terminator armour and power axe in his hand.

"It took you long enough, your sermons do drag on, Sevax and we do have work to get on with." The sorcerer said, his voice echoing with the trace of the Warp.

"I could say the same about your rituals, Atrino." Sevax responded.

"Enough of your bickering, we have come to make plays, with the Despoiler's 13th Black Crusade now shattering Cadia , we can take this opportunity to lay waste to Imperial lands." The leader, Rhymor said, slamming his fist onto his throne.

"But first, we need to identify what type of ships we saw as we picked up on the scans as they might pose a threat to our plans. It didn't match any know models."

"That rules out us and the loyalist dogs, it looked too clean to be Orks, not nimble enough to be Eldar, it wasn't organic so not any Tyranids, and too advanced to be the Tau but not advanced enough to be the Necrons." The plague marine, Malgarr, said, his voice full of phlegm.

"Then it appears to a new Xenos species, one we will gladly either enlighten …or not." The executioner, Khagor said, gleefully sharping his axe.

"Indeed, brothers, indeed it would this would present an opportunity for us and earn our own glory in this crusade by destroying the aliens in Khorne's name." Rhymor said grinning now at the though of battle again. Alarms began ringing as the scanning monitor went crazy with warring.

"What's going on, are we under attack?" Khagor asked, his sharping hand missing the axe and gliding over his forearm and his face contorted into a mix of pain and pleasure. Sevax went over to the scans to see something truly surprising.

"It would appear that the xenos have beaten us to the fight, they are sending down dropships." Sevax looked back to the other leaders of the warband with a grin upon his face. " Perhaps we should meet them in kind." The rest of the leadership all grinned with him.

Rhymor stood up, the weight of his tactical dreadnought armour shaking the floor.

"Gather up the warband and send a detachment to intercept them upon their landing. We will have a harvest of skulls for the Skull Throne this day."

XXX

The Arbiter, once again, was enclosed inside of a Phantom, going down into a suicide mission to fight the unknown they had no idea what was ahead for any of them, but they did know what the Flood could do to a planet and what could happen if it got off world. Tartarus had his group and the Arbiter had his.

"Warriors, what we undertake is the most holy mission that anyone of us could ask for. For to purge the Infestation is to repeat the history of the gods. And we know what failure we entail for us." The warriors all nodded; he then repeated the mantra of the Sangheili word for word. they had a sizable force with them at least two squadrons of Ghosts and one of the brute bikes known as choppers, wretched things: the front wheels were bladed, and the rear was an anti-grav propulsion, the brutes used the front wheels to ram into enemy vehicles it didn't help that it had twin autocannons on each side to add to its lethality, they had the heavier vehicles onboard a corvette to await for when they reached landfall. As they breached through the atmosphere as felt the turbulence over the landfall.

"Warriors, to combat positions." With that the Sangheili, Unggoy, Kig-Yar and Jiralhanae all jumped out of their Phantoms, ghosts and choppers dropping in from the ships, plasma cannon turrets were being placed and contact was being made to get the corvette _Gospel at Daybreak _down to drop the heavier equipment. The area they picked was what looked like a deserted city it appeared to be a human city by the look of it but on far more advanced than any they had seen before. The spires were large and reached towards the heavens, the streets seamed abandoned, but the scans said otherwise. At least five more Ghost Squadrons of six each, three more Chopper Squadrons of four each, a full battalion of Wraths with anti-aircraft Wraths, heavy Shade turrets and an air wing of Banshees were waiting on bored the corvette. Tartarus, his hammer slung across his shoulder, began inspecting the troop deployment and was not impressed by what he saw.

"Why are the Brutes on the front line? That is a task for Grunts to perform. Remember that I am in charge here, Arbiter and that you are here for nothing more that to perform an Arbiter's duty and die for the Covenant." Arbiter did not apricate being backed at by the chieftain, he had been commanding troops since before Tartarus had been even in battle.

"I'll try and remember that, Tartarus just you remember that your Brutes are better suited to a closer ranged engagement." Arbiter rebutted much to the Brute's anger. A communication went over to the Arbiter.

"What is it, Major? Do you have something to report?" The tone in the Arbiter's voice indicated that this wasn't the best time to call him up.

"More than a report, sir. The enemy is upon us it, but it is not the Flood but rather the humans, rather odd looking humans but humans nonetheless." the major said, the confusion in his voice made both of the leaders take a moment to thinks things over. If it was the humans and not the Flood, then why did the scans show up as Flood? And if it was the Flood then why did the major say it was humans but not infected humans? Something wasn't adding up and he was betting that the strange ships and the strange humans had something in common.

"Standby, Major. I shall soon join in the battle."

XXX

The battle was already fierce when the Arbiter made it to the front, plasma cannon turrets were already destroyed and the bodies of Grunts, Brutes, Jackals, and Elites with massive holes in their bodies, some weren't even bodies but rather just gore on the ground, pieces of flesh coating the craters and the sounds of plasma, needler and brute weapons fire upon what was suppose to be humans, but humans whose weapons could to this to Sangheili energy shields. Arbiter could see the major directing the battle, plasma repeater in hands.

"Report, Major what is happening here and why are the humans so powerful?" Arbiter could see the strain this short battle had already taken on the major's mind.

"Arbiter, it is a nightmare that we fight, just look." Arbiter could see humans in ragged clothing, not even the slightest sight of proper military equipment, but not something to call a nightmare then he saw the ones directing the humans. Hulking warriors clad in armour so thick that plasma, needle and even brute shots didn't even phase them, their rifles fired death as even brutes fell before them like grass before the blade, they also welded melee weapons of such savage design that it made the brute weapons look childish. Swords and axes with bladed chains carving threw bodies, giant fists that crushed skulls and punched holes through bodies. Not only that but some even had horns and claws that made them look like the were infected with the parasite but not at the same time.

"The demons? Here? And why are they so big? And so monstrous?" So many questions were running through the Arbiter's head that he nearly got hit by a stray round. His head flinched as the shots poured out of one demon's weapon and she, for from is voice crying out it was surly a women, looked to be almost receiving pleasure from firing the massive weapon. Arbiter stood up dodging the shot and making a charge to the back with the veterans.

"Sir, what are you doing?" The major asked, letting his plasma repeater cool down for another volley.

"Those close combat troops are tearing apart our lines, I will cut them down, join me if you wish." The Arbiter gripped his energy sword, ignited it and charged into the melee. He charged at one of the red berserkers, the rage-mad warrior swung wildly and miss wholly Arbiter ducked down and stabbed through its gut and slung it of his blade. Soon, Sangheili after Sangheili went into the melee with their weapons some with not even with melee weapons. The counter charge by the strange warriors was equally as fierce as blades of energy encased gas met reeving chainswords and glowing power weapons, shields flickered, and blood was shed as Sangheili and monstrous warriors died by the others side's weapons. The Arbiter carving his way through the lines as the skies screamed as warriors on jumppacks came charging in, terror in their beings and they made for the battle zone the roaring of their engines wailed and spread terror across the fields scything through the lesser troops. Monsters of flesh and metal roared with a baleful hatred to wreck any fortifications that had left.

Soon enough however, the lines of Sangheili quickly thinned from the unyielding wavs of giant warriors, the Arbiter was surrounded by three warriors covered in puss and infections and wielding rusted daggers. He had seen these daggers fell a Sangheili warrior with the smallest cut upon his unshielded forms. The first made a lunge with his dagger missing and receiving a energy blade to the back, he then shifted his stance and took his plasma rifle to the second warrior, its searing energy burned away his puss covered armour and sickly skin, the third was gifted a plasma grenade to its back as the Arbiter jumped over it avoiding its attacks and watched as the last warrior was melted by the superheated explosive. As he came to his feet, the Arbiter could see the battle going poorly for his warriors seeing as the Brutes were no where to be found.

"They wanted this, wanted out deaths, they have ever since they joined in the Covenant, first they took our place in the Honor Guard, now they wish to see us fall a final time here and now." The world slowed down as he could see Covenant being cut down, by either melee weapons or ranged firepower. Kig-Yar were cutdown by blue armoured warriors firing burning shots, whether they were plasma or something else he couldn't know, Unggoy were cut down by fighters in ragged robes and normal human weaponry. It looked hopeless, it felt hopeless.

"FOR THE PROPHETS!" a cry came out, Thel recognized the voice, Tartarus. The Arbiter turned to see a crashed wall of Brutes slam into the enemy lines. Brute shots, spikers and gravity hammers clashed in melee and smashed the battle lines a second time, their foes fell like lambs being set upon by wolves. The battle was turning in their favour and it looked as though victory would soon be theirs.

"It took you long enough, where were you at Tartarus?" The Arbiter now gathering his breath for what felt like the first time in ages to see the Brute crushing a very large warrior's head with his gravity hammer, the Fist of Rukt

"Getting them, Arbiter." The Brute said as the sound of hover vehicles rumbling over the streets soon began to drown out the sounds of the battle around them. Wraiths fired their plasma mortars overhead, crashing into the back ranks of the enemy. Locusts burned away the disgusting bodies of their targets with each firing of their boring lasers. All across the scorched landscape, the Arbiter could see the forces of the Covenant rallying to strike down these heretics their bodies flying about and their vehicles turned to molten scrap. After what felt like but a moment, they fled into retreat, their armoured hides in full sprint.

"They retreat, the cowards. The day is won." The young major from earlier said as he fired out a few last shots from his carbine. The few left from the original defence were battered, low on ammunition and exhausted from the fighting. Thel reflected on this, while they had won the battle, it felt hollow, empty like opening a gift only to find out that it was empty. It felt like a trap.

"Warriors, prepare to move out we have ground to cover and night shall soon befall us." The Arbiter's orders made clear that even with the battle won they still needed to report back to the Heirarchs, get rested and reinforced, and conduct studies onto the fallen foe to discover what they where exactly.

XXX

"So as first impressions go, how was that?" Atrino asked the group, all surrounding the pool of scrying that the used to spy on the world from the safety of the base.

"All in all, impressive, most impressive at lest the large ones were, the smaller ones had troubles with the mortals let alone our actual warriors." Rhymor said, the Khornate warrior was eager to reap skulls as soon as possible.

"But those small lithe fellows were pretty good shots." Khagor chimed in, his axe gleaming from being freshly sharpened.

"Indeed, but let's not get ahead of ourselves, they are still xenos but xenos we can use to our own ends." Sevax said as he shaped the warp around him to make images of the xenos hindering them to one of them helping them, all without them knowing the stakes.

"I don't know they seem too zealous to turn to our side just yet, perhaps a bit more… motivation." Atrino gave way to the large force of Traitor forces behind them, all chanting for blood and slaughter.

"Indeed, Atrino indeed we will."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

**Contact: Xenos Unknown**

Battle Barge, _Fury of the Lion._ Valorous Prime, Valorous System. Year 999. M41

Chapter Master Nathaniel was on the bridge, looking outwards towards the planet, view the advancing line green mass heading towards the PDF lines as well as the chapter keep and Adapt Sorortias convent.

"Have the Techmarines get the Thunderhawks on the ground as soon as possible and inform Chaplain Solomon to go with down to the planet, I would like to have him getting use to his new role as Chaplain." Nathaniel told the serf; the robed human nodded her head.

"As you wish, my lord." The human moved out and went about her task. Nathaniel went back to looking at the planet. Was he making the right call here, going towards Cadia while troops here fought and died against a Greenskin tide? Was he going to have make the same call his Primarch did during the Horus Heresy? During the Horus Heresy, The Lion and the Dark Angels fought a long war against Konrad Curze and his Night Lords, during which he was recorded as saying that loyalty was its own reward. He and his legion stayed behind with the Ultramarines and their Primarch, Roboute Guilliman in order for Sanguinus and the Blood Angels to make it to Terra for the Siege of Terra, and yet still there are the whispers of rumors that the Lion didn't stay back to let the Angel through but to see who would win and side with the wining side whatever the outcome. Would history say the same thing about him here and now, such were the thoughts that dwelled upon the chapter master's mind.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see a bridge officer approach. He moved with some concern to him.

"What is it, Brother?" Nathaniel asked of him.

"My lord Chapter Master! A fleet of Ork vessels have just jumped out of the warp, 30 in total!" the battle brother told to his venerable brother. Even more problems to look about, the situation was growing worse by the moment. Looking again he could see that the battle brother wasn't done delivering bad news.

"There is more isn't there, brother." Nathaniel asked of the deck officer.

"There is, my lord. A warp storm has appeared on the edge of the sector, if we try and make a warp jump with it, we may very well get caught up in its energy and become lost in the warp, possibly forever."

Now the situation was truly awful now he had no choice. Nathaniel had to look towards his brothers as well as the Imperium as a whole, which included the Valorous system. He was not going to risk the lives of him and his battle brothers over a risk such as this, to potentially become chaos traitor marines or even become lost in The Warp.

"Brother, we have a change of plans, we stay and fight this Ork fleet, have the Thunderhawks become loaded with tactical squads. I want every man willing to make ready for landfall, and have High Master Malthiel come to the bridge." Nathaniel then went off towards his weapons resting place to don his wargear.

"At once my lord chapter master but if I might ask, why ask for High Master Malthiel?"

"Because he's always been a better void combat expert than I and I intend to welcome the orks personally." Nathaniel left the bridge, grabbing his wargear in the process.

XXX

Angel's Tears, 8th planet of the Valorous System, outside the rim of Hive Virgo.

Thel was uneasy about the world, how could he not the beings they had just fought looked like humans but only vagally. Most were covered in markings that gave off a baleful presents, they went into battle bearing only ragged clothing, and used weapons of such crude design that it would make the Jiralhanae armaments look like works of the finest art in comparison and that were just the normal sized ones. The leaders, as they could only be so given their size much akin to how the Sangheili and Jiralhanae were to the Unggoy and Kig-Yar, were worse off: mouths growing upon their hands, eyes on their shoulders, tentacles all over. The green ones he had slain had been looked over by the Huragok, after touching it, it died from plagues that had originated from the being, after that they would only study the crimson coloured ones as to not suffer any more needless losses.

"Arbiter, we had discovered something, I think you should see it." The young major from earlier called to him via the battle-net. Jiazah 'Thogamee, he had a good head on his shoulders, a good mind for warfare and a well honed instinct for telling if something was wrong. With his own military career now confined to be the Arbiter he at least hoped to guide this young one's mind to become even greater than what he was, perhaps even supreme commander of the whole of the covenant military now that would be something.

"Yes Major, what was that about something you found?"

"Yes Arbiter, my team and I have discovered something grim, a horror that I could not describe even if I had the rest of time to do so, I believe you should see for yourself."  
Thel could tell the fear in his voice when he said that, he had only ever heard fear like that twice and against the same thing.

"Understood Major, you and your team stay where you are and do not for any circumstance disturb this 'horror' until I arrive and give judgment to this dilemma."

"Understood, Arbiter."

XXX

What Thel 'Vadam, former Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice and current Arbiter of the Covenant had seen in his life had prepared him for much but what was now before him was something new all together: It looked as though flesh and metal had been merged together to create something that was neither alive nor dead. The body looked crustacean in design but with cannons on one side of it and a rather large cannon in the center of its chest but by far the worst part was its face, of it indeed have one, was warped in its visage, as though it were in pain for some reason perhaps it was it was in the midst of it death cries.

"I see why you called, disturbing as it is, it shall make for good research for the Huragok to go over." The Arbiter told Jiazah and his team.

"We have tried to Arbiter but with little success." One of the Sangheili pointed towards two bodies of what were at one point, fellow Sangheili. Their forms writhed with blemishes and taints of what looked to have inflicted the humans and their leaders but to a lesser scale but more damaging at the same time. It seemed that whomever they were facing out here seemed to be as dangerous and contagious as the Flood but with out most of the signs or even unique read-out on their life scans which made it even more dangerous to be around.

"These foes, whatever and whomever they may be, have proven their danger, but we must recover this abomination in order to glean as many truths out of it as possible so as to find a defence against their tainted ways." Just then, Thel felt as though someone was watching them seeing them react to this and observing how they would deal with this.

"Arbiter, is something the matter?" Jiazah asked looking outwards trying to see what the Arbiter was looking at but to no avail.

"No, Major nothing at all. Come, I have sent for a containment unit to be sent here have a man of your choosing stay here until it arrives."

"Yes, Arbiter it will be done." The major gave a bow to the Arbiter and went about his work. Unknown to them both, a being lurking within psychic shadows gave a small smile beneath his helm.

"Soon, my friend, soon you will not need fear what you have found. Soon you will embrace it just as we have."

XXX

5 Miles from Deacon Zaurti's Cathedral, Valorous Prime, Valorous System, 999. M41

Sister Superior Sabrina was not one to be prattled on by those of lesser convictions than her own, especially someone like Major Kuiler. Upon first glancing at the man one would think that he was nothing short of what a commander of one of The Emperor's infantry companies should be but not too long after the cracks in that judgement began to show: smoking while on the job, chatting with the men like equals, and gazing a little too long at the chest of her and her sisters, if it were not for the commissars words to her and the fact that they were about to possibly be entrenched in heavy fighting soon, she would have shot the mans head off herself.

"Sister, a moment if you would we need to start discussing plans of defense here." The major pointed her to get over the war-table, which was just a table in the centre of his tent, were he, his fellow company commanders, what was left of his platoon commanders, the various company's commissars as well as captain commissars due to a lack to officers and, to her surprise, Tempestor Primes, leaders of Tempestus Scion groups. To think that the greatest soldiers in the Astra Milltarum could be here and still be beaten back so badly that the deacon's cathedral was under threat of assault the Greenskins must really be putting up a fight.

"Forgive my bluntness earlier, Sister I have not yet proper introduced my self nor the fine men and women under my command." The major told Sabrina as he rose from a seat fashioned from a log.

"I am Major Yester Kuiler, the man to my right is my adjutant, Captain Winston Morgrave. To my left, following down the line from the top is my fellow company commander, Captain Carin Eguls, our remaining platoon commanders, Lieutenants Maxwell Praks, Victor Prayton, and Noa Macnessa. Those commissars that have been promoted to officers, Commissar-Major Enrich Von Harrianburg and Captains-Commissar Jericho Kell, and Alexandros Apollon and lastly our new friends from the Tempestus Scions, Tempestor Primes Nesher O'Nier, Victoria Von Carrionburg, and Sebastian Anoraion. Our tank commanders, Tank Captains Quentin Vein and Kanak Dumont are out in the field, acquiring some 'special equipment' "

Sabrina became annoyed by this, for what point was it to show off the officers to her, it wasn't a parade here, it was war and they needed to plan the defense of the cathedral. Captain Eguls was a thin man, less muscular than the others around him. Of the Lieutenants, Praks was thick with muscle but he seemed a bit off in the head, Prayton almost looked like a scribe if not for the scars he bore around his knuckles and Macnessa was a boy, a child really fresh from the officers academy and sent to the front lines in a warzone, lucky him. The commissars were another story altogether, each one not only a political officer, but a battle line one as well; yes these were the type of people that got work done, as for the scions they seemed almost bored being here

"Major, with all due respect to what end does this introduction serve?" The question was a valid one but one that Kuiler did not seem to dwell on for long.

"Sister, the reason for this is because the men and women you see before you are going to have to rely on you and you the same during the days, weeks, months perhaps even years ahead, you must know them until the enemy is defeated, we abandon the world to its fate or your death. I have known less then half of these officers and yet I would gladly risk my life for each and every one of them as if they were The Emperor himself." The last part of his little speech was borderline heresy: to compare regular guardsmen to the most holy God-Emperor of Mankind was downright traitorous. She pulled her bolt pistol right up his face right there and then, only to be answered with a boltgun from Captain Morgrave pointed at her face.

"Explain yourself, Major or by the Throne of Terra, I'll take your head off right here and now even if it means my own death as a result." The major raised his hand to indicate to Morgrave to lower his weapon, to which he did but still kept a watchful eye on the sister.

"I meant no disrespect, especially not to the Emperor himself, I was merely stating that I was ready to lay down my life for those around me as I knew that they would do the same for me, and we all would do for The Emperor." Sabrina holstered her pistol and moved away from the major.

"Right then, now that we've gotten that out of the way, let us begin." The major moved back over to the table were a holo-map was displaying the local area.

" Captain Commissar Kell, you're our man with the 445th Armoured Regiment, have either Tank Captains Vell or Dumont reported with any news on the acquisition of the 'special equipment' yet?"

"Still looking sir, but then again it was a rather large gambit to do so."

"Yes but one we needed to perform if we're to have any chance of seeing this conflict to the end, Captain Commissar. The reports are confirming what we believed to be happening all along: the Greenskins are building up war-temples to their gods and are ready to unleash them on the troops, and when they do, our guns will, not just might but will, be ineffective against them." The major looked to the tempestor primes as if he already had a plan in motion.

"Tempestor Prime O'Nier, I want you and your scions to make a scouting mission over to the gargant factory and see how far along they are. From there we will be able to plan accordingly as for the rest of us, we shall set up gun emplacements all along the perimeter and make this area a fortress." The major had turned into a an almost different person; an officer of the Imperial Guard, planning his defence and ordering his officers to work.

Sabrina, her mind so focused on the major's actions, failed to hear the major's orders to her. "Sister Superior, are you there? I require you and your sisters to secure the Deacon's person."

Sabrina looked back towards the major, now hearing his orders and not liking them at all. "Major, I have done nothing but protect the deacon's person for a very long time now, my power sword grows ever duller as time passes it by with a lacking combat. The deacon is staying within his bunker, far below the surface of the cathedral. My place is here, Major not down in the ground."

She stood her ground on the principal alone. While the major had no actual authority over her and her sisters, he was the man with the bigger guns then she had which could end badly if she pressed her luck any further than she already had. The major let loose a small smile on his face. "I understand, Sister so that is why I have decided to have you and your sisters with take up positions on the south western face, towards the Siun Plains and keep an eye out for any ork commandos that might try and take a swing at our lines."

"Understood Major, I'll have my Sisters and I there within the half hour." With that small politicking over with, the rest of the base could get back to making things as defendable as possible as to not die in an ork charge.

XXX

Angel's Tears, 8th planet of the Valorous System, inside Hive Virgo, Year 999. M41.

Sevax knew the power of the Warp and it was unquestionable that the xenos had to potential to create psykers among them if not be able to already but he could not see them in the warp, they were not there as though blanks but the powers of chaos affected them like any others so they weren't blanks still this don't bod well it was bad that they were here to begin with but the thought of not just a single race but multiple ones, the Tau were bad enough as it is but these beings screaming about their gods like they had any idea of what true gods really were. Still they had potential as even if it was for nothing more than as sacrifices for the true gods.

"Sevax, I require you to grace my sanctum with your orating." Atrino called to him with his psychic powers. it was odd, long had Atrino bore a rivalry with him as both had routes to power, but only he had taken the one that held the most sway in the legion and this brotherhood in particular.

"I'll shale do so only if you disclose as to why you want my presence in that maze you call a sanctum." Sevax could feel the frustration in Atrino's mind at the question. It was a long pause before Atrino gave his answer.

"Very well, I shall soon be making contact with some let's call them 'allies' that I have made over the centuries and your skills at warp contact are unrivaled by anyone else here… well except for me of course."

"Of course, and just who are these allies of yours Atrino? The Red Corsairs? Some minor warband of those who saw the truth of things merely centuries ago?" Sevax was not one to work well with those not of the Word Bearers. They were the truest followers of the Ruinous Powers, the others merely glimpsed at their power.

"That is for me to know and for you to discover when you arrive here. Hurry on now I can feel your anticipation from here." Atrino ceased his chattering.

"I might as well see just whom that power grubbing fool has for us to work with."

The inside of Atrino's sanctum was a just what Sevax had called it: a maze. It was full of backward turns, full circle pathways and dead ends, the only way one found anything or anyone in this place is if either they were a powerful psyker and forced their will on it or if the lord of this domain willed it to happen. It was the latter for Sevax, much to his favour.

"Ah, their you are now we can begin." Atrino was without his helm for once, his face was a warped mess, he had five eyes, two on each side with the fifth in the center of his forehead the fifth eye also seemed to be burning with fire he was truly blessed by the Changer of Ways.

"Yes let us." In the center of the room, were glyphs of chaos, they were to be used in the summoning of portals to whomever they were to contact.

"You said you'd tell just whom we're to make contact with." Sevax said beginning to prepare for the ritual.

"I did, well its several groups actual, First we have the Sons of Nightmares warband, they are a Night Lords warband, although one could probably tell from the name, they are led by Aganax the Inflictor, a truer son of the Night Haunter you could never find."

"Is it wise to put stock into brothers of that gene line, it was unstable long before we chose the true path, and they pay nothing towards the gods only the delight they receive from maiming body after body in Slaaneshi torture."

"And that is way we'll want them; they will sow terror and breed pain wherever we set them loose upon. Plus the ships they will bring will allow us to burn a path across the stars." Sevax saw the wisdom in this, while they did have their own fleet, it was hardly what one could call a crusade, the Night Lords were expert pirates and could bring much to this cause of chaos should they join with them.

"Whom else is there?"

"The Scourge Smiths, a warband of Iron Warriors that are particularly good at creating daemon engines. Their leader, Anjax Scourge Smith, was responsible for the mass daemon engine assault on Tuno some time back."

"I recall that, the whole of the world was for the taking and soon became a bastion for the Chaos Gods. If they are Iron Warriors, then we can use their skills in siege warfare to good use against these new Xenos."

"Yes, yes we can." The ritual was all in place and Atrino began to work.

"Next we have the Poison Dragons, an Alpha Legion warband. Much like most of the lot they are experts at subversion, deception and disruption of their foes power base at its source. They also have the reputation for being expert front line fighters, odd yes but it work to their favour as the reputation of the Alpha Legion for being covert operatives means that the foe never expect them to attack head on."

"Their talents, both for being seen and not seen will add up in destroying the xenos, or at the very least, crippling them.

"Then we have the Forsaken Beasts. A renegade group dedicated to the plague lord. They have amassed quite the sum of cultists by acting as a death cult, preaching that only by facing the enviable can you be free and know true joy, for even once in their miserable lives. Their leader is a dark apostle, Audrax the Malignant.

"If they serve Grandfather Nurgle, then so be it if nothing else, we can put their large number of cultists to use as slaves and cannon fodder for our goals. Is that all the allies you've gathered, Atrino. If so, may we begin now.

"Yes, we may." Soon the room turn from a maze of chaos to a storm of madness as the two traitor marines called upon the powers of the warp to make contact with those group to secure a base for their own Black Crusade.

**And so the crusade begins in earnest. Sorry this took so long things came up like the date stick I used for this story getting broken or me trying to find a job. In any case I'm not giving up on this story and I will try to get more chapters out at a better rate **

**Also my space marine chapter, The Storm Lions/ Angels of Aggression has had a video made on it on 40k Theories channel on Youtube. Go check it out if you want the history of this chapter. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

**Heavy The Head That Wears The Crown**

Angel's Tears, 8th Planet of the Valorous System, inside Hive Virgo, Year 999. M41

The four leaders of the warbands that Atrino wished to gather them, for what purpose Sevax could only guess at. Four shimmering visages appeared and Sevax could see who he was to negotiate with : Aganax was not hard to miss, his body coated in the skins of those he tortured and maimed. Anjax was a mess of metal and flesh his face was more adamantium than skin. The Lord of the Poison Dragons warband, Weo'kri Poison Fang, was a being so blessed by Tzeentch that his armour, face and even voice were in constant flux and Audrax the Malignant , the leader of the Forsaken Beasts was as gnarled with rot as his mind was. All eyes were on Atrino, their patience seeming to grow thinner by the second.

" We have come here, Atrino. To here this proposal you have for us." Aganax asked, the Night Lord marine was in no mood for politicking, wanting to begin and end quickly as to return to whatever macabre activity he was occupied with previously.

"Aganax, you of all people should see the merits of patience and taking time with one's actions. As for the business at hand I have gathered you here, so to speak to discuss the topic on all our minds: the Despoiler's 13th Black Crusade and the opportunities for us that it holds." Atrino spoke with a smoothness that was unlike him, his norm of a being who used his words to bite more than his teeth ever would his tone was now poison velvety as if he were hiding this talent from them all, Sevax included, for all this time.

"We are here, are we not? We wouldn't be if not for the promises you made for riches and bounties, we would gain from this." Anjax said from his half mouth, half robotics that passed for his jaws.

"Yes, and here it is: The Despoiler's crusades have wasted our resources and man-power in attacks on where our enemy is strongest, trying to break their morale but has failed many times over. It is time to form our own crusade, one that will strike at the underbelly of the overweight planets of the Corpse Emperor and raze them to the ground." Atrino was speaking with a like never before, with the same energy that Sevax did when performing his sermons but it seemed to be doing little good for all the passion and persuading, he was acting out.

" We have heard this all before from the Warmaster's calls, about conquests and glory, the difference is that at least he has the resources to make the notion of victory come true, unlike you, Son of Lorgar."

" And I have information that he is not privy towards." All eyes were on the sorcerer, even Sevax's; was he going to reveal his person so soon into this meeting. It was an unorthodox move from Atrino, certainly out of character for him always one to cling to his secrets.

"And, by Grandfather Nurgle, would that be, Sorcerer?" The lord of the Forsaken Beasts asked, though it was almost lost with the amount of rot in his mouth and throat.

"A new Xenos race, one that we can bend to our will, we have observed them in action, and they are ripe for the picking, perfect for the enlightenment of our ways." the mere act of working with Xenos was tantamount to working with loyalist scum for any reason.

"You want us to work with Xenos scum, Priest. You are more 'blessed' than we first though. If that is all you have, then I am done here." Aganax bellowed out, the other's heads moved in similar manners.

"Who said anything about work with? My companion is mearing saying that we can use them to fulfill our goals weather those goals are terror, despair and plagues, domination through warfare, or subterfuge. It's all furthers the larger goal of chaos ruling overall."

The chaos lords looked to the priest, the thoughts stirring in their minds upon what to do, most looked were less roused by the thoughts of aiding gods of any kind, many unwilling to serve so called 'gods'. It was not until Aganax stood from his throne of bones.

"I have been bored of late, and these Xenos could provide a challenge for once." He looked to Atrino, his thrice bloodshot eyes glaring at him. "I will join you on this Black Crusade of yours, Sorcerer if for nothing more than to stoke their fear in my hands." Soon, the rest of the lords joined in, pledging their forces to the cause of this crusade then leaving the meeting, leaving Atrino and Sevax to plan further.

"Now, we move forward to the next phase of my plan, Sevax." Atrino was smirking with glee at the news his plan was going his design. Sevax could tell what that would be: removing Rhymor from power as he would not share power, that lead quickly to down fall in a warband: giving truth to anyone else in power not under your thumb completely.

"Removing Rhymor from power won't be easy, he is a mighty warrior of the Blood God, blessed with many gifts. Ever our skills together could spare meet him in battle without one or both of us dying in the process." Sevax looked to the sorcerer again, his face had not lost its grin, the grin of a being that had plans and schemes brewing in its mind.

We… won't have to do anything, my unholy friend. The Xenos will do everything for us." Sevax understood why Atrino was grinning so, for all the Mighty Lord of Khorne's strengths and blessing, he had a fatal weakness, one most Khornates had: he could never turn down a challenge and sow slaughter in his wake.

XXX

Outskirts of Hive Virgo, Angel's Tears, 8th Planet of the Valorous System, Year 999. M41

Thel walked into the chamber, his words in here would have weight behinds them, such a weight as to affect the whole of the Covenant from this point onwards. Before him were the Hierarchs, the High Prophets of Truth and Mercy, several council members along with someone new, a Prophet of well dressed look to him, his hover-throne He bowed before the rulers of the Covenant then lifted his head to speak to them. Most of the Councillors left the room to them except for the finely dressed Prophet.

"Ah Arbiter, what news have you for us?" the High Prophet of Truth asked of him, Thel's focus went instead towards the one person left he was not familiar with.

"Noble Hierarchs, I know it is not my place to question this but the news I bring should be heard by your ears and ours alone." Mercy looked as to berate the Arbiter, but the newcomer put raised his hand as to stop the words to the Hierarch.

"Apologize Arbiter, but during your actions on the planet, the Council had and emergency session to discuss the situation we are in, during of which the topic…" now being cut off by Truth, his hover throne tackling the newcomer's.

"…In which the topic of a new Hierarch was to be elected." Thel could see that behind the politicking face of the Hierarch, he was unhappy about this. The newcomer continued to prattle on.

" Yes, and I was voted to replace the most Holy High Prophet of Regret, I am the High Prophet of Valor, Formerly the Minister of Justice of the Ministry of Judication." Thel sized up the new Hierarch. The Prophet of Valor looked almost plain in comparison to the others, his robes were a plain white with a violet pattern trim down along the sleeves, his hover-throne wasn't as sophisticated as the other two's, even his crown wasn't as elaborate as the others: a simple golden halo above his head with things jutting up overall he didn't look the part of a Hierarch. How a being like that became of the three leaders of the Covenant Empire was beyond Thel's care, only pleasing the Hierarch mattered.

"Now that the introductions are out of the way let us begin." Mercy said, Raising his hand above the dais in the middle of the room a map of the galaxy at least their galaxy appeared before them. Thel rose to give his report.

"It has come to my attention that we are nowhere close to where we should be the sacred ring is not here. Our scanners cannot tell us where we are in the galaxy we are." The Prophet of Valor looked on with a sense of nervousness to him. Being put into this position of power in times like this with nothing certain about them was never good to begin with.

"I'm afraid that is just the beginning of this problem, Arbiter. Gaze upon this problem." The Prophet of Mercy said, then he tapped a few buttons on his hover-throne it then showed the Arbiter something he had thought lost to him the second he came to realize that they where not home anymore: Sanghelios, his homeworld. Not only his but Balaho, the Unggoy homeworld, Doisac, the Brute Homeworld. All of the homeworlds of the Covenant were here now, in this space of the galaxy or if this was even their galaxy anymore.

"All the Covenant homeworlds have traveled with us to… wherever we are. With a star, Arbiter, a star."

"By the Forerunners, how is this possible?" Thel's mind raced with the news he had been given. Sanghelios, his home here with them, in everything that the Covenant had learned about the Forerunners, this was something else, was this the Great Journey? If it was, then why the need to find the rings? No, the rings, the Halos were important to the Great Journey and this was something else entirely.

"We have the Huragok looking into it, in the meanwhile, what news have you of the planet you found? Is it inhabited?" Truths word brought the Arbiter's mind back to the front of the situation , now came the part he was dreading, the news of the strange humans to the whole of the Covenant.

"We encountered… things down there."

"Things?"

"Yes, they were human, or at least were born human or originally were of human design, but they was… malformed, twisted and feral. Then came the giants."

"Giants?" Truth, now becoming more enthralled and attentive of the report, listened on to whatever could this be.

"Yes, they were like the demons only larger and more deformed then the others. Their weapons too, were of such a monstrous make, the shots ripping into the bodies of my men. Each shot made mockery of our armour. Those in hand to hand combat used swords of linked chained blades to rip open and cut swaths through us, fists of power and strength to crush even Jiralhanae skulls with ease, devilish claws of energy to shred apart whole squads of Unggoy in mere moments and many more." Thel felt a chill run down his spine upon remembering them, a feeling he had not felt since he was a child, in training to become a Sangheili warrior.

"This is all ridiculous! You are the Arbiter and yet I find you now acting like frightened child. Had I known what a coward was made the Arbiter, I never would have given council to save your life after your failure to defend toe sacred ring." Valor broke his silence over the meeting. Thel was already put off by his presence in the meeting but now he could suffer him no further.

"If you do not want to believe me, we have recordings of the engagement we had with them." Thel then put a disk into the dais. It started to play.

"Entry 4.35, Major Jiazah 'Thogamee speaking, we have arrived on a strange world, it does not show up on our luminary or any of our star charts but then we don't even know if we can still trust them after going through the rift in Slipspace." The recording went on for awhile before the firefight then they saw them, the human- things.

"The mighty Arbiter is afraid dregs with barely functioning guns and why not, truly they are the most vicious of foes." The Prophet of Valor was on thin ice with his words about Thel.

"Keep watching..." the three kept looking towards the video feed that's when they came, the giants and then the fear made sense to them, everything that Thel had told them was made true before them: their grins were full of malice and sadism. Their weapons were everything that Thel had told them the screams of the dying were echoing throughout the chamber.

"Enough, Arbiter! We get the point." Truth stopped the video feed when a Jiralhanae with a gravity hammer got bisected with a chainaxe from a crimson armoured warrior. "We now understand why you are worried about this, now leave us we must discuss this in private, in the meantime gather your forces together to await our demands." Truth said. Thel left with the knowledge he had left one war with demons only to fight in another only now the demons both looked and acted the part.

XXX

Rtas Vadum looked over the men in the room, each one was a SpecOps warrior, each one was hand pick by him to perform his actions with pride and courage yet how could they feel that now, these new men that had joined him were once Honor Guards of the High Prophets, the greatest and most capable warriors of their race now reduced to this office. Rtas felt like reciting the oath of the Covenant to them but decided against it seeing as it could do more harm than good. He could see the Arbiter arrive when the last of the new warriors left his presence.

"So, how did it go Arbiter?" he asked only assuming too well how it went.

"A rather mixed bag actually, though I'm not a fan of our new High Prophet. " He then gave a snort, the sort of one that an Ultra would give to Minors and Majors. "I know next to nothing about him. Is there much to know?"

"Quite a lot actually, he was once a Prelate." Thel's eyes raised at that title: Prelate. In the San'Shyuum, they're were those who were chosen to become warriors, they were gifted chemical, physical and genetic enhancements to become the most lethal warriors in the Covenant, even more so than the Sangheili. Thel had seen one in action once it had taken down a whole squad of Honor Guard with little effort. In exchange for this, they were unable to hold political offices such as Ministers or Prophets.

"How could he? He was a Minister in Office, the Ministry of Judication no less!" Thel argued to the SpecOps commander it was clear to Rtas that the new High Prophet had made a poor first impression on the Arbiter's mind about his character.

"Apparently, he had become injured during a mission early in the war with the humans and was given the right to join the Ministry of Judication, still it has been said that he had injuries have healed over and can now fight once again." Rtas didn't like the way the Arbiter looked when the thought of an injured Prelate becoming a Minister to then become a Hierarch, to top everything off, the rumored of him once again being able to fight.

"You didn't anger our newest Hierarch, did you?" Rtas' questions kept going deep into whatever happened in that room between the four of them.

"His attitude… did not agree with me but in light of everything you have told me I may have to reconsider my opinion of him."

"Is that out of respect… or fear?" Thel paused for a moment, taken in the question in full.

"Both." Rtas looked at the situation now before them for the first time since arriving in this new and strange place they had a chance to catch their breaths.

"Look at it all, we don't even know where we are in the galaxy, or where the Sacred rings are right now." Rtas said as they walk to the view port gazing off into the stars, and the great stellar rift that was before them,

"Haven't you tried to go back to the coordinates given from before." Thel was now really starting to worry: A whole fleet's slipspace jump going wildly off course, encountering the 'tainted humans' as he was now calling them, as well as the 'super demons', the name given to the giants on the planet. And now their home worlds had ben transported with them here. Just what in the Forerunners names was going on here.

XXX

Meanwhile, in a dark, eldritch part of the mirror realm of in Material world, The Warp. Four Beings of un-imaginable power look over the work that one of them number has brought into their world.

"Tzeentch, I hate you; I hate your faces, I hate the way you act, I hate the magic you use. But bringing an entire galaxy spanning empire from another universe was the best thing you ever did." Spoke the one atop a throne of skulls and brass.

"Indeed, In the small glimpse I had of their world; they appeared to have the technology to at least put up a decent fight against the Anathema's pawns, but it is their lack of psychic potential that intrigue me." Said the blue one, with its many faces and constantly changing body.

"Oh who cares about that, all I see is some beautiful muscles on those manly… what were they called again? Sangheili? Yes Sangheili, oh and they way the move when they fight, so delicious **I just want to fuck them until they bleed. Hehehehehehehe." **The third said a being both male and female at the same time, one half being male the other female. Its long tongue wrapping itself around its single unclothed breast.

YEAH BUT COULDN'T WE HAVE ALSO GRABBED THAT FLOOD THAT THEY HAD, IT LOOKED SO GOOD, SUCH AN EXCLENT PLAGUE." The last one said in a garbled, sickly voice it was covered in a score of soars and boils, its skin was a sickly green and a foul thing to behold.

"I could have but I hate you Nurgle, so no I didn't be thankful that I brought these thing here so now we have new toys to play with." The Changer of Ways smirked, as much as something who's form was in constant flux.

"DON'T FUCKING CALL THEM TOYS, YOU PASNY WIZARD-CREEP. THEY ARE WARRIRORS ARE THEY ARE GOING TO SPILL SO MUCH BLOOD FOR ME." The Blood God said, slamming his fist against his Skull Throne in his normal world-shattering rage.

"Ohohohohoho, I am going to have so much fun with these, Tzeentchy-poo." The Dark Prince blew a kiss towards Tzeentch, coming into real form along them way, to alas miss entirely it mark.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING START, YOU FUCKING SLUTTLY BITCH!" Khorne's rage then ended the meeting as he processed to throw brass spears and Slaanesh then afterwards, chase her/him/it down with his brass axe.

XXX

"Who knows, but let us look at what we do know: We are stuck here, our homes are here, the humans did not follow use here but there are humans here anyways or at least beings that resemble humans if but monstrously grotesque in appearance and we have no idea as to where the sacred rings." Rtas paused a moment to take in what he had just said allowing it to filter through him.

"With that all said, it is a wonder we aren't all going into a panic." He gave a small chuckle at the mention of it.

"You've been going through the reports about what happened, Commander. Tell me, what are your thoughts on these 'humans' we have found?" Thel trusted the Spec Ops Commander input, far more than any other person at this time, after his public shamming, only Rtas would even have audience with him.

"They are dangerous, far more than the humans we are used to dealing with." He looked at Thel with a eyes of cold steel. "Arbiter, if these humans are in large numbers, especially with the giants you mentioned, we have a serious problem here." Fear was not an emotion that Sangheili felt very often, but Thel knew its purpose. Fear kept one from making reckless move and doing things with blind courage and false bravado but there were the times when fear told us when things were in a bad spot, when something horrific was approaching us this was one of those times.

Their ship, the CAS- Class Assault Carrier _Castellan's Hand, _had just arrived at High Charity, to deliver the abominable machine that Major Thogamee had discovered and was to be researched to give any indication about what they where about to fight against. No sooner then when they arrived that the signal for the Hierarchs to speak to the Covenant went overhead, Thel and Rtas left their conversation for another time for when the Hierarchs spoke everyone on High Charity listened.

"Citizens of the Covenant, we, your Hierarchs, come to speak to you again so soon to discuss what has happened to us. We have traveled to some point unknown in the galaxy, devoid of both the sacred ring and the filthy humans. We, under the advice of the High Council, have decided to elect a third Hierarch to once again make the Covenant whole in this, what could be our darkest hour." Truth then moved aside for Valor.

"My thanks, Noble Hierarch of Truth, Greetings, people of the Covenant I am the Hierarch of Valor. I was until but a short while ago the Minster of Justice in the Ministry of Judication. I know that the loss of the Great Prophet of Regret, honored be his name, is still fresh in everyone's mind. But I assure you that I will not tarnish the position I have been placed in nor will I stand ideally by while are beset with uncertainty as to what the future holds for us. We, the truest servants of the gods, must venture out into this strange new world and see what we can find. I also want to assure those who have family on our homeworlds to not fret for we have discovered that our homes have come with us, as to how we are still not yet sure." Thel was taking it all in, seeing how the new Hierarch worked the crowd, he was no Truth, Mercy or even Regret when it came to over all charisma but their was something to it that tug on Thel's person something that made him if not like him, at the very least respect him.

"However it must fall to me to inform you that our very own Arbiter has determined that there are humans here, even more monstrous as before. Their demons now truly live up to their name." Valor then showed the recording of the engagement in all its sick, profane, horror. Thel could feel to anger rising in the whole city at the images, this would mean more fighting, and this time he didn't know if they could win or not.

"…That is why I set forth a crusade of fire, of war to destroy these humans. we must set upon them like hawks before the prey and carve them out of existence for their heresy…" The people's cries became rallies for Valor's crusade baying screams of bloodshed echoed through out the halls of High Charity

"…and it will be the Arbiter to lead this crusade of power against the vile foe. He has the most experience against these monsters. The new Fleet of Absolute Destruction will set out and put the filth to the torch." The crowd had had enough waiting and broke into a frenzy, it caused rioting in the streets, on Sanghelios, it was said that the Kaidon keeps had never echoed in night so loud since the days of old.

"It appears you are going on another campaign, my friend." Rtas said, still looking at the streets below the riots in them.

"Yes, it would seem so."

XXX

**Another Chapter done with, this time I have no excuse I was just being lazy and didn't put the time needed to work on this, but it done and now I can move on to the next one. Also I know this chapter was focused on the Non-Imperials but to worry my Loyal Children. The next chapter is going to be all about you guys.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

**The Angel of Aggression is the title I bear, upon my wings doth the sky do flair.**

Battle Barge, _Fury of the Lion, _Flagship of the Angels of Aggression Chapter, 999. M41. Valorous Prime, Valorous System.

Nathaniel looked out upon the three companies here, the 1st, the Lionwing under High Master Mikaiel the 4th Company under Master Gavreel and the 6th Company under Master Erathaol. The plan was to have these companies as well as parts from the 2nd company, the Shadewing, strike down near the orks location. Meanwhile the 3rd, 8th and 9th companies moved towards the Imperial Guard command base, the deacon's cathedral and the recruitment grounds respectfully. He hoped that the overwhelming force of over three hundred Astartes breaking into a formation would shatter the orks morale enough to force a spear thrust through the lines and end this conflict fast enough to gather the recruits and head off to Cadia and aid in its defence. He would leave the rest of 2nd company as well as the 5th and the 7th Companies here in reserve under the command of High Master Malthiel.

Nathaniel looked around; his head now covered by the Maned Helm. The helm of the chapter master, its design was that of an old Teran beast, a lion a beast that shared its name with that of their Primarch. At his side was Angel's Fire, the symbol of the chapter and a gift from the Chapter's very first assignment to Nocturne to aid the Salamanders when they were attacked by the Emperor's Children traitor legion. After the battle, the forge-father gifted them this weapon a relic of a bygone age and a truly special piece of wargear. A master crafted combi-plasma that had more power behind its shots. Next to it was the Sword of Justice, a relic blade of glorious artifice. The chapter was gifted it and four others after the defence of Cala barely two millennia ago still it was old and it did have the iconography of the 1st Legion on it so it must have originally belonged to the Dark Angels anyways, still it felt off to be armed with such gear and being proud of it despite the lack of age to them. he can still remember receiving it from his predecessor, Lord Master Amenadiel during the campaign against the Eldar of Craftworld Saim-Hann on Avolia 3. All of these thoughts passed through Nathaniel's mind in a flash, his trans-human mind processed the memories in mere moments.

Nathaniel donned his helm, the vox-system inside allowing him to keep in contact with the strike force during the drop and the battle. He got into his personal Land Raider, _Annihilation of Treason_, and met up with his command squad. Brother Amon, the chapter ancient, held aloft the chapter banner. It's symbol, two crossed swords with a wing on each of the blades outermost tip of the guard crowned with a halo, beneath it the chapter motto was written. "Tremble Foe, For His Angels Have Arrived". Apothecary Narcariel was standing by, his narthecium at the ready extract gene-seed from fallen brothers. The rest were veterans of various companies, all battle hardened by the experience of thousands of battles and centuries of combat. Fastening himself into place, the Thunderhawk dropship moved out of the hanger, the sheer speed of it was almost enough to make one wonder if there ever was a voidcraft there in the first place.

"Brothers, this is our world, the Imperium's world and these xenos think they can have it, well they will learn like all of their disgusting race has learned that the Emperor's Angels do not let any foe of his go away unbroken." Nathaniel went quiet as one did not need to speak when going into the fray. They were off, Thunderhawks cutting through the void, racing down towards the planet while drop pods and terminator squads awaited the signal to let loose.

It was quiet, as it always was during a drop, occasionally the crack of person to person vox chatter could be heard it was only when the roar of the Thunderhawk could be heard again did the vox chatter stop not long after the sound of incoming orders of drop-pods and Terminator squads to begin dropping int could be heard. The Land Raider shook, then everything slowed down, there was a crash against the ground before Nathaniel took the overhead latch and looked out.

"FORWARD! ALL UNITS AHEAD TOWARDS THE XENOS!"

XXX

Solomon had been chosen to accompany the 4th Company under orders from the chapter master, to become familiar with the office of Chaplain. He waited for the moment the Thunderhawk let open its back doors. The opening of the back door was all the notice he needed to get into the fight. Powering up his jump pack, Solomon leapt out of the transport the thrusters on his back going to life. After moments in the skies he could feel the dirt beneath his boots again, the area was a blasted wreck of gore, scrap metal and equipment from both the PDF and the Greenskins. He had his crozius arcanum by his side and his storm bolter in his hands he looked to see the assault specialists of the 4th company around him. Sergeant Xeriel looked to him.

"Sir, we are in position to move out, no casualties during the drop." Solomon checked the area; he could hear the Greenskins off to the north east.

"Right then Sergeant, we'll move out, it appears that the Greenskins are moving towards this location, we should move towards the west to flank them." The marines acknowledged and he and the rest of the assault marines moved, using their jump pack sparingly as the fuel inside was limited. The echoes of the screaming of the orks was growing as was the wanting to end this infestation. Solomon looked to see a ridge and ordered the men to get there. Atop the ridge they could see the orks, they were preparing for a strike, their crude war machines were forming up in what passed for formations among their kind. At the position they had, it gave them a perfect chance to charge them, striking first blood. Solomon waited until the whole of the assault troops were with him.

"Now, Brother." Sergeant Xeriel asked of him. Solomon just gave him an agreeing head nod. From atop the ridge, the assault marines of the 4th Company of the Angels of Aggression went forth, chainswords revving up as they jumped down, carving a pathway downwards. Solomon gave supporting fire from above with his storm bolter, the Greenskins' meager armour was cloth when against its firepower. After emptying out his clip, he too charged down, his new crozius arcanum flashing with power he activated it against the ork he was crashing down towards. It block the first strike with his crude weapon, choppas they called them but it did have the speed to stop the second, the crackling energy caved in the orks' skull, leaving dead on the ground, Solomon reloaded a new clip into his storm bolter and began firing again. Brother Sergeant Xeriel's group were losing impetus on their side but still pushing through Xeriel's plasma pistol burning away their flesh.

"Keep moving, we have a job to do and by the Lion, we will see it done." Xeriel yelled out as his chainsword severed an ork from his lower body the gore flying out onto the ground. Solomon could see some of the orks getting into their war-bikes, he turned his storm bolter towards them, some of the shot made it the mark but in the midst of combat, it was hard to get a shot off. He went on the vox in his helmet to Sergeant Guradiel, the other assault sergeant with him.

"Some of them are getting away, we need to cut them off." Guradiel acknowledged and his men moved up via jump pack assault, the sergeant's power fist turning the Greenskin underneath it to mush as well as turning its vehicle into a wreak, his men followed suit and began hacking away at their bodies. In the end, no casualties were taken for Solomon's charges but a whole squadron of speed-freaks had been removed from the conflict.

"Good work brothers, now let's keep moving."

XXX

High Master Mikaiel was up in the terminator bay with his company, the Lionwing all of whom were ready to make the jump into battle, it was not an easy thing to go into a terminator jump, one had to go through the Warp, even if it was for the briefest of seconds it still was entering the realm of daemons and chaos allowing its evil to try and take hold over one's soul.

Mikaiel looked around him to see the one hundred elite terminator veterans before him, each one was a walking tank, armed with the heaviest of weapons.

"Everyone is in place, sir we just await the order." Judicator Bronathiel told him, looking now to his superior. They waited for the signal, Mikaiel always hated the waiting, the lack of action going on around him he could never understand how Malthiel, his own twin brother, could be so lax during these times. The signal went and down they went, no words were said, they didn't need it after all they had gone through to become a member of the Lionwing. It wasn't so much a drop; a better term would be a jump into the void and the Warp. It was only for a split second, but it always brought the danger of the Neverborn to come and possess one of them during the jump.

Mikaiel felt him feet touch dirt again, and once more did he spring into action. He could see ahead of them were the Greenskins, moving through in their crude transports and war-engines. Against them were the forces of the chapter, moving towards them at break-neck speeds. Like most drops, his company was scattered but still in contact with each other.

" All squads, the Greenskins base in ahead of my current position. Mark it and head forward from it, we will assist chapter forces making course towards it from the south by south- east." From there, they marched the footsteps of terminator armour on the moved echoed along the plains. It was a slog to get to, the price of donning terminator armour: greater protection, lessened mobility but charged they did, and battle was joined. When they arrived, they could see the orks in melee, where they thrived against their brothers.

Like a hammer blow, the 1st Company warriors rushed against the orks, their heavy armour blocking out all but the most vicious and brutal blows. Mikaiel first move against this filth was to slash out against three of there number with his sword, the Sword of Valor, cutting them all down. Meanwhile, his company bashed, slashed, and shot up the Greenskins by the scores. Squad Mariel's heavy support weapon reaped a toll from his assault cannon while his squad brothers aided with storm bolter and power fist. His Justiciars blocked blow after blow with their storm shields whist hammering away with their maces and flails.

"MOVE AHEAD! GET TO THE WARBOSS!" Mikaiel ordered out, putting enough bolter shells into one ork to make his guts turn to jelly and forward they went.

XXX

Nathaniel could see now ahead the forces of the orks, gathering enforce for what they believed to be a final blow against the PDF forces they had grown used to fighting over their campaign, they would get a taste of ceramite this day. Overhead, the view of the chapter's transports rolling out along the route towards the orks was in full. Rhinos, Razorbacks, and Land Raiders were in full speed, their cargo ready to make warfare against the foe. Inside his helm, Nathaniel bellowed orders and plans for the men, of the three companies that were sent down, none were of the 1st , and only half of the 4th and 6th were with him, still it was enough, the transports had enough firepower to off set this difference. Like old Teran clockwork, His brothers leapt out of their transports, bolter already primed and firing the moment they got out of them.

_Annihilation of Treason _stopped and like those before him, Nathaniel and the others inside of the Land Raider got out, weapons primed and firing. His command squad fell out with their chapter master, the chapter banner flying high overhead. Veteran warriors trudged forwards bolter ablaze with suppressing fire as close combat specialists moved out and rushed into melee range. Leaving no room for pause, Nathaniel moved Angel's Fire into his hands and began to lay down fire with his brothers. The bolter fire laid low the orks upon the ground, their bodies turning to gore from the shots striking their flesh. The transports own firepower was giving its own support as assault cannons, storm bolters, lascannons, and multi-melta fire lent its own weight into the shooting.

Even under the hail of fire they had been under, some orks managed to get into melee range, Nathaniel could see one, a Nob by the looks of him, and switched Angel's Fire to its plasma gun. The searing heat of the shot burned through the orks armour, flesh and bone to put a hole right through its body. Those few others that made it through the barrage of firepower met with those few marines armed fully dedicated towards close quarters combat: Lightning claws, power mauls, and chainswords gave answer to the orks question of whether or not they were going to were going to win, and that answer was no.

The ork waves of attack began to grow greater in both numbers and strength: Nobs began to strike down in whole groups, more and more Boyz were making it through the firing fields. Nathaniel could now see Master Gavreel, in his terminator armour, making his way towards them from the western flank with the rest of his company in tow. The strike from the side relived some pressure from Nathaniel's shoulders.

"Gavreel, nice of you to show up, and with the rest of your company." Nathaniel said, glad to see his brother coming to into the fray.

"Not just me." Was all Gavreel said before transports of the 6th company came rolling down the flanks along side the remaining 4th companies. Master Erathaol appeared right along side of his brother-master. The combined force of the 4th and 6th companies broke whatever resistance was still left in the Greenskins. As they fled the field, the marines still firing upon them as the tucked their tails between their legs.

"They'll be back, orks are always looking for a fight." Gavreel said as he approached the chapter master along side Erathaol.

"What are our casualties, Brother-Apothecary?" Nathaniel looked Apothecary Galathros of the 6th company.

"6 brothers will fight no more and 25 wounded including Brother Mendakiel, who has accepted Dreadnought internment." As a Stormraven moved overhead to pick up their fallen brother so that he may be forever entombed inside the body of a dreadnought.

"Their service to the Emperor will not be in vain. Do either of you have anything to report? Have you seen the Lionwing and Grand Master Mikaiel?" Nathaniel looked to his two Brother -Masters looking for any kind of answer as to why Mikaiel had not yet arrived with his troops.

"No sir, and its not just the Lionwing that are not hear but my assault squads have failed to meet up with us, as well as Chaplain Solomon." Gavreel said, not liking the fact that his assault marines were under command of a brand new chaplain.

"He knows his job, even with the lack of formal training. We'll see him soon enough either on the field or in the casualties." Erathaol said as he looked towards the direction of the orks retreat.

"We should move out now, continue harassing them while they're still retreat." All officers nodded in agreement; Nathaniel included. All battle-brothers once again loaded themselves into their transport and made their way towards the retreating Greenskins.

XXX

Solomon and his assault marines had been on the march for the beater part of an hour, periodical using their jump packs to make quick scans over the horizon to see if anything was ahead with no such luck as of yet. The landscape was rough, in a way. It wasn't the chem-soaked landscapes of some hive worlds nor was it the dead plains of some death worlds. It was a mix between a dusted landmass and fertile plains, or at least the were before the Greenskins came, but it mattered very little, their trans-human bodies allowed them to going like this for days at a time, so exhaustion wasn't a problem of becoming tired but becoming lost like this wasn't any help towards the campaign in and of itself.

"_Fury of the Lion, This is Brother Chaplain Solomon of the 9__th__ company, I require a location of other chapter assets, acknowledge."_ Solomon said over the vox-comms in his helm, however there was no answer to be had.

"Anything brother?" asked Sergeant Xeriel, the hope was for the battle barge up ahead to give coordinates towards the rest of the chapter so that they might link up and join in the greater assault, but it seemed that was out of the question.

"No, and I don't think we'll be getting any support from the chapter fleet any time soon." Solomon knew that the fleet was most likely engaging the xenos fleet above orbit as to complete their annihilation. The group doubled pace when it was clear the fleet wasn't going to be of any help to those on the ground. It was only after miles of travel did some good fortune arrive, they had found to be what looked like a command position of some kind, imperial for sure but whether or not it was the chapters of the PDF's was unsure, for it was to far away. Solomon looked up upon this while it wasn't the rest of the chapter, it was friendly forces none the less.

"Brothers, I have visual on a garrison of some kind. Its one of ours." With that, the assault marines more with even more haste towards the garrison and perhaps some communications with the rest of the ground forces of the chapters attack. When the got their they were disappointed with what they saw: a broken base, men half dead from the attacks, the parade grounds full of craters and burned out engines of both imperial and orkish in nature.

"It seems we're too late here, the xenos have already been hear. Squad Xeriel, I want a full sweep of this location, make sure there aren't any stragglers, and if anyone survived this bloodbath." Squad Xeriel went off, jump packs flying high. While still looking around on foot, Solomon could see that this action had taken place very recently, however not so recent as to have smoke bellowing out of the blasted gravesite this place had become.

"Two days, three at the most. Some of the bodies are still in rigor mortis." Sergeant Guradiel told him, knowing what they would have to do in order to truly find out what happened here. Seeing a body on the ground, Solomon ripped off an arm and removed him helm and began to eat it, allowing one of his astartes organs to do its work: the Omoplagea or Remembrancer. It allowed an astartes to gain the memories of those whose flesh the marine had devoured, literally learning by eating. The flashes of new memories came into his mind: guardsmen up upon the ramparts, lasguns firing away at the orks, heavy bolter round echoing through out the complex, the few armoured vehicles the base had were moving out not in the direction of the attack, but away.

"Sir, we'll never make it, they have the base surrounded." A voice said, it was his or the persons whose memories he was viewing. He sounded defeated, from what Solomon could see, it would have been beater to stay inside and hold up inside the complex.

"And you , like me, have seen what is heading for us upon the ramparts, Guardsman. You will get inside the Chimera. You will be leaving this facility and you will like it. Am I understood?" The officer told him, it looked like the commissar, if he was in charge, things must have gotten desperate for them.

"_Sir, it's here, it's right on top of us augh…" _was all a single guardsman could say before his message became static on the wind. Then the image appeared before him, it was enough to break Solomon out of his state of memory, in such as he punched the ground next to him.

"What is it sir?" asked Guradiel, the action indicated something truly bad had happened here.

"The Greenskins have a Gargant."

XXX

Command Post of PDF troops under Major Kuiler, 5 Miles from Deacon Zaurti's Cathedral. Valorous Prime, Valorous System, 999. M41

Sister Abagail dug into her new home for the foreseeable future , a trench line, no more than two meters deep at the lowest point, and only long enough to hold the sister squad of ten, hardly a fitting defence but then they were probably going to expand on it over time. And it wasn't like they were there alone, the Major had sent over a platoon of guardsmen to assist them in the defence of the flank, still, they didn't exactly inspire confidence inside her to see them. However good a leader the Major might be it still didn't change anything about his troops overall… readiness towards the fight ahead of them.

"Sister Abagail, I need you for a moment." Sister Superior Sabrina asked of her. The Sister Superior and her and never been on good terms due to her constant tendency to be, in her words, Overzealous, when it came to destroying the foes of the Emperor. As if one could be 'overzealous' when it came to obliterating His enemies, still if she were asking for her, it must be something either important or another tongue-lashing. When Abagail got to the Sister Superior, she could see one of the PDF officers with her. They were in the midst of conversation over something more than likely it was about the defence of the area, as that was the only thing **to** talk about now.

"Yes, Sister Superior, you wanted me?" Abagail could see the vox-caster down on the ground behind the two.

"Yes, Sister Abagail this is Lieutenant Victor Prayton of the Major Kuiler's forces, his platoon will be assisting us here." Abagail gave a look over the man, he wasn't much to look at, he had the look of a civil servant not a field officer, even one in the PDF.

"Yes, Sister Superior I have been briefed on this, is there anything else that you require me for? Or do you have something else for me?" Abagail asked, knowing full well the amount of sass she had just given the Sister Superior.

"Yes, I do. The lieutenant is going out in a recon en force so to speck, I wish for you to accompany him out, seeing as you are so bored here with the rest of us in the mud and trenches." The Sister Superior gave sass right back at Abagail. She did have a point though, she was the most militant minded of her sisters, a fact that Abagail took pride in.

"Of course, Sister Superior. I will be honored to accompany the troops of the Emperor to whatever ends they see fit." Abagail lied through her teeth; she wasn't all to keen towards the idea of being alone among the guardsmen seeing as most of them hadn't see a woman in weeks or even months. Abagail would do her duty nonetheless for the Emperor.

"Good, the platoon is just over there, behind the bushes." The lieutenant told her. "I have something to take care of first, so I'll meet you there."

XXX

Abagail arrived at the lieutenant's platoon at it was worse than what she had thought it was going to be: the men were ragged and beaten down from the fighting they had done, the heavy weapons looked about to break down from constant use, they only had a single transport Chimera and 25 men.

"Not much of an 'en Force' now is it?" She said to herself, almost embarrassed to be along side them. Abagail could see the lieutenant just now ready to leave, now done with whatever tasked he needed to perform before he left.

"Sir, you finished what you needed." Abagail asked of the officer.

"Yes and I have what I need." Abagail could see following him was a Sentinel walker, a weak armoured unit but for what they were planning, it was more than enough.

"Alright men, on ya feet, the Lieutenant's back which means your break is over." One of the guardsmen said, he looked to be a sergeant, the only sergeant left by the way they looked. All the guardsmen started to get up, their moans and wines were grating on Abagail's ears. They formed into groups of fives with the sergeant in front of them all.

"All men accounted for, sergeant?" the Lieutenant asked, his eyes were moving over the men, get a feel for them and how they would perform in action.

"Yes sir, all men are accounted for, 2nd Platoon is ready to move out." the stern look from the sergeant said everything he needed to Abagail: Solid, unmoving, having seen it all, a real soldier.

"Then we move out." The lieutenant got into the Chimera and moved ahead. The Sentinel was up front followed by the men and the Chimera around it, the guardsmen kept to their five person groups , each one covering for the others, standard military action when going into a plan such as this. Abagail was next to the Sentinel, her bolter moving over to the next place ever few seconds, she was not one to become lax in time such as these. The Sergeant moved next to her; up close she could now see the full extant the wars he had suffered through his arms were slashed and scared from actions, shrapnel from large explosions most likely, his left eye was replaced by simple bionics, his equipment wasn't that grand either; a Laspistol, normally holstered at his left side now in his right hand while a chainsword was in his left hand, occasionally revving it up at any sign of movement in and among the trees and bushes.

"So, why are you 'ere, Sista? Did ya not pray 'ard enough for the canoness?" the Sergeant asked of her, breaking her out of the stupor of her focus on the sergeant's scars and back to reality, when she remembered that he was still an enlisted guardsman and enlisted guardsmen are notoriously pig headed, even the sergeants were not above this.

"No, I was asked to by the lieutenant to make sure none of you died while out here, saying he didn't like his chances without me around." Abagail knew how slighted the sergeant was by the statement. Hours passed and Abagail now knew that this was going to be longer than just a day's work. It was midday when they left, now it was darkening, and they needed to rest.

"All right men, we'll rest here for the night. At daybreak, I want you up, gear prepped and on the march." Lieutenant Prayton said coming out of the chimera when it hit, a shot right at his throat, he went down almost instantly. Orks with purple cloth around their mouths jumped out of the bushes and started the attack.

"AMBUSH! KOMMANDO AMBUSH!" Abagail said as she let lose her bolter, firing it at any ork she could see, which wasn't many unfortunately. The rest of the guardsmen lad down fire as the bushes became alive with orks, they're wasn't that many, and both the Chimera and Sentinel's cover fire were more than enough to kill most of them, the rest were displaced by mass lasgun fire and the occasional bolter fire from Abagail's own gun. She moved towards the Lieutenant, he was still alive but barely and not for long.

"Sir, can you here me? Sir? SIR?" Abagail told him, he wasn't going to make it, they were too far from the base, even at full speed, the Chimera was just too slow.

"Si-Sister? Are you there? I need you now," The Lieutenant said, still able to speak, even with his throat now a mess of flesh and gore.

"Yes sir, what is it?" Abagail looked to the Lieutenant, kneeling down to him to here him speak.

"My-My mission, it ne-needs to be akgh done, I can't know, so I need y-you to do it." Lieutenant Victor Prayton's last words in this world was the information of his now last mission to a single Sister of Battle, And passed his power sword to her, then passed from this world.

"He's gone, the Emperor's light has left his body." Abagail toke up the sword, holstering her bolter to her back and now taking in the information she had been given to her.

"So what now, do we just go back to the base then?" the sergeant asked of Abagail demanding answers from her.

"No, We are to stay the course, sergeant. We have a mission to complete." Abagail stood up now from the Prayton's body and had the guardsmen gather around her. Aside from the lieutenant, three other had gone to see the Master of Mankind. They all looked to her, she felt nervous about being in charge, but felt not to get that off her chest.

"Before passing on, Lieutenant Prayton's last words were of the mission we are currently on, which from this point onwards shall be led by myself, as per the Lieutenant's last wishes. Our mission, which shall not be spoken of by anyone outside this platoon to anyone that is either not here or the following people: Major Kuiler, Sister Superior Sabrina and the man we are to find."

"And who exactly is that Ma'am?" the sergeant said, now being respectful to her. Abagail moved away from the group, then turned to them, igniting the power sword as she turned.

"Master Domiel of the Angels of Aggression 3rd Company."

**AND GOT DONE IN UNDER A MONTH, YEAH! And it now being my longest chapter of this to date, more of this to come but I think I should give you give a numbers game ( For those, like me, who like see the numbers of the armies fighting.) that well be next. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Fleet of Absolute Destruction **

**Commander- Arbiter Thel' Vadum**

**Ships**

1 CSO-Class Supercarrier,_ Reaper of Faith, Flagship _

6 CAS- Class Assault Carriers including _Castellan's Hand and Shadow of Intent _

13 ORS- Class Heavy Cruisers

34 CSS- Class Battlecruisers

39 CPV-Class Heavy Destroyers

14 SDV-Class Heavy Corvettes

45 DSC -Class Support Ships

**Total: 152 Combat and Support Ships **

**Fighter Complement: Full Capacity: 3230 Fighter Craft.**

**Ground Forces and Crew:**

1,224,535 Warriors, Menials, and Thralls (Mostly Grunts, Jackals and Drones)

15,400 Superiors & Obedientiaries (Brutes and Elites)

1800 Hieromonks

2132 Huragok

238 Shipmasters & Ground Commanders

45 Precentors

450 Celebrants

**Total number: 1,244,600+ Crew and Soldiers**

**Vehicles **

1,426 Type 26-Spirit/ Type 52 Phantom-Class Transport Craft

1,110 Type 28-Tick-Class Boarding Craft

6,856 Type 26- Banshee-Class Ground Support Craft

5,501 Type 51-Indiviual Breaching Carapace/ Type 53 Squad Breaching Carapace

2,030 Type 29- Shadow-Class Troop/Vehicle Transports

10,843 Type 32-Ghost-Class Rapid Attack Vehicles

3,258 Type 26-Wraith-Class Assault Gun Carriages

2798 Type 25-Chopper-Class Rapid Assault Vehicles

1254 Type 48-Revenant-Class Light Assault Gun Carriages

790 Type 52-Prowler-Class Infantry Support Vehicles

345 Type 30-Locust-Class Light Excavation/ Anti Fortification Platforms

245 Type 29- Vampire-Class Close Support Fighters

38 Type 47B-Deutoros Scarab-Class Ultra Heavy Assault Platforms

**Total: 36,494+ Ground, Air Support, and Transport Vehicles **

**Imperium of Man Forces**

**Angels of Aggression Chapter- Lord Master Nathaniel**

Fleet Complement

2 Battle Barges

8 Strike Cruisers

12 Cobra Destroyers

**Total: 22 Ships **

Fighter complement: 65 Shadewing Dark Talons/ Nephilim Jetfighters

**Full Chapter- 10 Companies **

Full Chapter assets: Terminator Squads, Predator Tanks, Lander Raiders, Whirlwinds, Vindicators, Dreadnoughts of all types, Land Speeder Squadrons, Thunderhawk and Stormraven Gunships.

**Valorous Prime PDF – Lord Governor Fergus Hoinstein XXI (Planetary Governor), General Albrecht Holstermain VI (Commander of Ground Forces) **

156 PDF Regiments at start, Unknown number left.

86 Infantry Regiments

56 Armoured Regiments

14 Artillery Regiments

5000 Guardsmen per regiment

430,000 Infantry

56,000 Armoured Vehicles

6,000 Artillery Pieces

1 Independent Company of Super Heavy tanks (Baneblades, Doomhammers Etc.)

Unknown number of Tech Adepts, Servitor, Etc.

**Total: 780,000+ Personal **

**The Most Holy Order of the Fiery Cloak of the Adepta Sororitas- Canoness- Commander Varmine Seragale **

1 Commandry – Battle Sisters, Crusaders, Hospitallers, Dialogus, Rhinos, Penitent Engines, Exorcist Tanks Etc. equaling about 200 Sisters.

**Hey Guys, so wanted to make a report on the numbers of Combatants so far in the crusade, i didn't do chaos yet as they haven't fully come into their own yet with their forces and i can't really get an number in them anyways with it being a less concrete force to begin with but the numbers I have on the Covenant is quite amazing (DIDN"T KNOW THAT A SUPER CARRIER WAS BIGGER THAN A GLORONIA CLASS BATTLESHIP!) so yeh next chapter may take longer now that I've gotten into Culinary School, So look out for it. **


End file.
